• 1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, Chengdu, 610061, P. R. China;
  • 2. Department of Public Health, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610084, P. R. China;
YAO Xiaojun, Email: flyingyao@163.com
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Objective To investigate the efficacy of combined telephone and WeChat follow-up for patients discharged with an indwelling closed thoracic drainage tube after surgery for stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema. Methods Patients with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema who were discharged with an indwelling drainage tube from the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu, between November 2021 and November 2022 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into an observation group (combined telephone and WeChat follow-up) and a control group (telephone-only follow-up). The quality of life (QoL), treatment adherence, and recovery outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results  A total of 81 patients were included. The observation group consisted of 49 patients (31 male, 18 female) with a mean age of (38.63±15.86) years. The control group consisted of 32 patients (27 male, 5 female) with a mean age of (36.91±17.33) years. The observation group showed significantly higher postoperative QoL scores in the domains of physical functioning, emotional functioning, physical symptoms, global health status, and overall QoL compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Regarding treatment adherence, the observation group demonstrated superior performance in daily activity duration, use of a respiratory trainer, and adherence to coughing exercises compared to the control group (all P<0.001). The duration of chest tube indwelling was significantly shorter in the observation group (P<0.001). Furthermore, the observation group showed better recovery in albumin and hemoglobin levels (P<0.001). Conclusion A combined telephone and WeChat follow-up approach can significantly improve the QoL and treatment adherence for patients discharged with an indwelling drainage tube. This method effectively shortens the duration of postoperative tube drainage, promotes nutritional recovery, and accelerates overall postoperative rehabilitation.

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