PATIENTS’ EXPERIENCE TOWARDS POSTOPERATIVE ABDOMINAL DISTENTION

Objectives: this study was carried out to determine the experience of patients towards the postoperative abdominal distention. methods: the subjects included 384 patients who undergone surgical operation under general anesthesia in the clinics of general surgery, orthopedic, brain surgery, ear nose thoroat surgery, ophthalmology, gynecology, obstetrics on a hospital in zonguldak city. the data collection tool comprised of a questionnaire, prepared by the researchers. the data were collected through face to face patient interviews. the data was evaluated with the percentage, chi- square and fisher chisquare relevance tests. results: the results demonstrate that 42.7% and 41.5% of the patients had postoperative complaints of abdominal distention and nausea and vomiting respectively. the difference in development of the abdominal distention was found statically significant (p<0,005) in the terms of preoperative intestinal excretion, type of operation, postoperative application of medications on gastrointestinal system, time of initial oral nutrition, time of initial ambulation and intestinal gas discharge. conclusion: abdominal surgery, time of the initial ambulation and oral nutrition was effective in abdominal distention formation on patients who had surgery under general anesthesia.