The Effect of Reverse Trendelenburg Position on Back Pain after Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aims of a pilot randomized controlled trial were to investigate theeffect of reverse Trendelenburg position (RTP) on back pain after cardiovascular angiographyand interventions and to compare incidence of vascular complications at thefemoral access site between experimental and control groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conductedin 70 patients who underwent cardiovascular angiography and interventions via thefemoral artery and received post procedural care at the intermediate cardiac care unit,Bangkok Heart Hospital from December 2015 to February 2016. The control group (35patients) received standard care, remaining in a supine and flat position for 6-12 hours,with the affected leg straight after the intervention, whereas the experimental group(35 patients) received a 30-45 degrees RTP. Pain score, blood pressure and vascularcomplications were recorded. RESULTS: The groups were not significantly different in terms of demographic characteristics;age, body weight and height. Back pain scores of the control group had asignificantly higher level than the experimental group (p < 0.001). The incidence ofminor bleeding was 2.9 % in the experimental groups and hematoma < 5 cm. was 2.9 %in the control group. There was no active bleeding in both groups. CONCLUSION: The findings show that RTP after cardiovascular angiography andinterventions reduce or prevents back pain without increasing the chance of vascularcomplications.