Efficacy of an Integrated Nursing Protocol for the Management of Postoperative Upper Limb Circulatory Complications Following Transradial Coronary Intervention.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an integrated, evidence-based nursing protocol combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine for the management of upper limb circulatory complications in patients undergoing transradial access (TRA) coronary intervention.MethodsA non-randomized, sequential (before-after) comparative study was conducted in 346 patients undergoing transradial artery coronary intervention at a tertiary hospital. Patients treated between March and April 2024 received routine perioperative nursing care (control group, n = 195), whereas patients treated between October and November 2024 received an evidence-based integrated nursing protocol combining traditional Chinese medicine and Western nursing approaches (observation group, n = 151). The integrated protocol included a standardized "six-step finger exercise," digital and early health education, optimized postoperative monitoring, and acupoint massage interventions. Upper limb swelling and pain were assessed 2 hours postoperatively using palm circumference measurements and the Numerical Rating Scale. Outcomes were compared between the two groups using chi-squared tests.ResultsBaseline characteristics were comparable between groups. The observation group demonstrated a lower incidence of upper limb swelling (21% reduction), fewer cases of moderate-to-severe swelling (13.9% reduction), and a lower incidence of pain (15.3% reduction) compared with the control group (all p < 0.05).ConclusionThe integrated nursing protocol was associated with reductions in postoperative upper limb swelling and pain in patients undergoing TRA coronary intervention, indicating potential value in improving the management of circulatory complications.