Effect of Massage on Post-Operative Pain and Narcotic Administration in Infants with Congenital Heart Disease

: The prevalence of moderate to severe postoperative pain in the pediatric population was high. The presence of pain adversely affected long-term health-related quality of life after pediatric cardiac surgery. Massage therapy has been tested in various populations and found to be remarkably effective in relieving pain. This treatment includes noninvasive techniques that are cheaper, easier, and have fewer side effects than drugs. Aim: The study was aimed to evaluate the effect of massage therapy on post-operative pain and narcotic administration for infants with congenital heart disease. Subjects and Methods: A quasi-experimental research. Subjects: It was employed on a purposive sample of 76 infants undergoing cardiothoracic surgery in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit and Cardiothoracic ward. Setting: Mansoura University Children's Hospital (MUCH), Mansoura, Egypt. Three tools were used : Infant’s bio-sociodemographic characteristic and clinical data, physiological measurement and FLACC behavioral pain assessment scale. Results: There was a highly statistically significant difference between the mean pain scores and narcotic doses within the study and control group. Conclusion: The study concluded that, massage therapy positively reduces pain and narcotic doses in postoperative infants with congenital heart disease. Recommendations : Massage therapy training programs and seminars should be held periodically and regularly for pediatric nurses to increase awareness of the benefits of massage therapy for infants with congenital heart disease