Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preventive effect of upper limb functional exercise on venous thrombosis in patients undergoing peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 108 patients who underwent PICC placement in Suzhou High tech Zone People's Hospital. The patients were divided into a control group (n=52) and an observation group (n=56) according to different treatment methods. The control group received upper limb functional exercise on the basis of routine treatment, while the observation group received rehabilitation exercises using an intelligent grip ball alongside the treatment administered to the control group. The incidence of catheter-related thrombosis, coagulation indicators, upper limb venous hemodynamic indicators, and compliance with functional exercise were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The incidence of catheter-related thrombosis was lower in the observation group compared with that in the control group (P=0.012). After treatment, improvements were observed in the coagulation indicators and upper limb venous hemodynamic indicators in both groups compared with pre-treatment levels. Moreover, post-treatment levels of these indicators were better in the observation group than in the control group (all P<0.05). The scores of the compliance questionnaire for functional exercise were higher in the observation group than those in the control group in various dimensions (all P<0.05). Lastly, patient satisfaction in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P=0.032). CONCLUSION: Upper limb functional exercise combined with an intelligent grip ball can reduce the incidence of catheter-related thrombosis, improve coagulation function, increase compliance with functional exercise, and improve nursing satisfaction in patients with PICCs.