Background:Usually the chest tube removal (CTR) has been described as one of the worst experiences by patients in the intensive care unit.Aim:This study aimed to compare the effects of cold therapy and relaxation on pain of CTR among the patients undergoes coronary artery bypass graft surgery.Materials and Methods:This single-blinded clinical trial was done on 80 post-cardiac surgery patients in the heart hospital of Sari-Iran. The patients were assigned to three randomized groups that included cold therapy, relaxation, and control groups. Data analysis was done by T-test, Chi-square, generalized estimating equations and repeated measures analysis variance tests.Results:The groups had no significant differences in pain intensity before CTR (P = 0.84), but immediately after CTR there was a significant difference between the treatment (cold application and relaxation groups) and control groups (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference between relaxation and cold therapy groups.Conclusion:Regarding the relaxation and cold application methods showed relatively equal effects on reducing the pain owing to CTR. Thus, the use of relaxation because of economics, without side effects, easy to use and effective is recommended by the authors to the practitioners.

Background:Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is widely accepted as the procedure of choice for surgical correction of lacrimal drainage system obstruction distal to common canaliculus in adulthood. Although, there are only limited epidemiological data available in Iran about the patients undergoing DCR surgery.Aim:This study was aimed to survey the demographic characteristics of patients received (DCR) surgery to achieve the newer information about these patients.Subjects and Methods:In this descriptive study, the demographic characters such as age, and gender, clinical findings, history of surgery, etc., extracted from archived files of the patients undergoing DCR surgery in educational and treatment center of Bu Ali Sina Hospital in Mazandaran. Data were entered into the SPSS software version 15 (Chicago, IL, USA) and analysis inferential analysis performed using t-test and Chi-square.Results:Among 40 under survey records 72.5% (29/40) were female and 27.5% (11/40) male. Patient's mean age was 48.22 (17.1). Fifty percent were from a rural area and there was a significant relationship between gender and dacryocystitis rate, it was high among female (P = 0.02(Most of the patients complained of tearing 87.5% (35/40) and recurrent attacks of acute dacryocystitis 70.3% (28/40), respectively. Conjunctivitis in 33.3% (13/40) of patients and chronic discharge was seen in 40% (16/40) of cases.Conclusion:Overall finding showed in comparisons of men with the females of middle age and above included higher cases of dacryocystitis. The authors suggest regarding high prevalence of sinusitis and allergies in Northern Iran, checking by ENT specialist is beneficial to exact diagnosis and programming for treatment of this kind of patients.

Background:Suicide is an action deliberately initiated and performed by a person with complete awareness of its fatal outcome, prevalence of which is very rare in developed countries, but it is reported with more frequency in Middle East including Iran.Aim:This study was carried out to analyze the characteristics, mortality, and related factors of burned patients who attempted to suicide by self-immolation in Northern Iran.Materials and Methods:In this retrospective study, the archived files of 101 cases that referred to the main burn care center located in northern Iran (Included: Mazadaran, Golestan cities) - cause of suicide attempting by self-immolation during 2 years 2010-2011, analyzed. A record sheet designed to extract data such as: Age, education, occupation, gender, residence, marital status, drug abuse, and extent of the burn injuries as a percent of burned total body surface area (TBSA).Results:The incidence rate of suicide attempted cases were 1.98/100,000 person-years. The mean ages for cases were 31.8 (13.6). The mean age for males and females were 36.1 (14.8) and 30.1 (12.9) years, respectively. In, about 84% (84/101) of the patient's burned TBSA was more than 40% (41/101). Burn injuries were more frequent, larger, and included higher mortality in females than males. Kerosene was the most common used material to self-burning. The mortality rate was about 74% (74/101), which showed a high mortality rate in this study. Other social factors such as marital status, employment, and education level have a role as individually protective or risk factors for self-burning.Conclusion:Finding of the current study manifested high rate of suicide by self-immolation among young, married, and low educated women in Northern Iran. It implies a social problem, and need to an arrangement of a cultural program aimed to improving health, psychological habits and educational level.