Original Articles
Evaluate the concept of the warm versus regular room temperature sitz bath in perineal wound healing | |
Dr. Nikhat Gulnar, Dr. Ankur Prakash, Dr. Alok Ranjan, Dr. Indu Bhushan Prasad | |
Aim: To determine the effectiveness of using warm versus regular room temperature seitz bath in perineal wound healing. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in the Department of General Surgery at Patna Medical College Hospital, Patna, between August 2023 and March 2024. A total of 472 patients, aged 18 to 60 years, participated in the research. The conditions treated included hemorrhoids, fissures, perianal fistulas, pilonidal sinuses, perianal abscesses, and episiotomy wounds. Patients with other medical illnesses and compromised immune systems, such as diabetes, tuberculosis, and HIV, were excluded from the study.A standardized treatment regimen was implemented for all patients, which included a 5-day course of oral antibiotics (metronidazole), H2 blockers, and a 3 to 5-day course of analgesics and topical ointment. Pain levels were recorded using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on days 1, 4, and 8 post-surgery. Itching, daily activity comfort, and wound healing progress were assessed during the 16-day follow-up visit. Results: Pain reduction was measured using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at three different time points: Day 1, Day 4, and Day 8. On Day 1, the VAS scores were similar for both groups (7.8 ± 1.2 for Group A and 7.9 ± 1.3 for Group B) with a p-value of 0.67, indicating no significant difference initially. By Day 4, Group A showed a greater reduction in pain (5.4 ± 1.1) compared to Group B (6.1 ± 1.2), with a significant p-value of 0.001. By Day 8, the difference became more pronounced, with Group A reporting a VAS score of 3.2 ± 0.9 versus Group B's 4.5 ± 1.0, and a highly significant p-value of <0.001. These results suggest that warm water sitz baths are more effective in reducing pain over time compared to room temperature sitz baths.The healing status of wounds was assessed on Day 16. Group A had a higher percentage of fully healed wounds (76.27%) compared to Group B (58.47%), with a significant p-value of <0.001. Conversely, partial healing was more common in Group B (41.53%) than in Group A (23.73%), again with a significant p-value of <0.001. This suggests that warm water sitz baths promote more effective wound healing compared to room temperature sitz baths. Conclusion: The course of wound healing and postoperative comfort in an operated perineal surgical wound is not dependent on the kind of Seitz bath or the antiseptic solution used for the bath. However, it has been shown that regularly taking seitz baths and maintaining good local cleanliness significantly enhance patient comfort and accelerate the healing process of wounds. The selection of a seitz bath that a patient prefers is mostly influenced by the psychological image formed in the patient's head, prior experiences, socioeconomic standing, and guidance from a consultant. |
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