The Effects of the Thai Traditional Medicine of Abdominal Massage on Defecation in Post Lumbar Laminectomy Patients

Abstract

Objective: This prospective study examined the defecation enhancement effects in post-lumbar laminectomy\xa0patients who received Thai traditional medicine of abdominal massage (TTMAM) in combination with standard\xa0nursing care, compared with patients receiving only standard nursing care. Methods: This prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted at Siriraj Hospital between 2011 and 2015.\xa0Eighty-eight patients with spinal stenosis scheduled for lumbar laminectomy with or without fusion were enrolled.\xa0The patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the first group underwent standard nursing care combined\xa0with TTMAM (the TTMAM group), and the second group underwent standard nursing care (the non-TTMAM\xa0group). The clinical outcomes regarding the first defecation within 3 days after surgery, abdominal distension, and\xa0patient satisfaction with defecation care were evaluated.\xa0 Results: When comparing the first defecation within 3 days after surgery, no significant differences were found in\xa0the number of patients between the two groups. The number of the patients who had their first defecation within\xa03 days after surgery was higher in the TTMAM group (46.5%) than the non-TTMAM group (27.3%). There was\xa0significantly less abdominal distension on the third day after surgery in the TTMAM group than in the non-TTMAM group. Moreover, the mean score of patient satisfaction of the TTMAM group was higher than that of\xa0the non-TTMAM group. Conclusion: Thai traditional medicine of abdominal massage tends to help defecation in post-lumbar laminectomy\xa0patients as it relieves abdominal distension and increases satisfaction with defecation care. Therefore, the use of\xa0TTMAM with other bowel care methods could provide additional benefit for lumbar laminectomy patients.