Abstract:

Objective To investigate the clinical， psychological， and economic impacts of the initial dressing change timing following peripherally inserted central catheter （PICC） placement in postoperative breast cancer patients. Methods We enrolled a total of 120 patients who underwent PICC placement following breast cancer surgery at a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou between April and October 2023 for this study. Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria， the patients were divided into an observation group and a control group， with each group comprising 60 patients. In the observation group， the first dressing change was performed 48 hours after PICC placement， whereas in the control group it was done within 24 hours post-placement. The primary outcomes assessed included pain intensity at the puncture site during the initial dressing change， occurrence of bleeding at the puncture site within one week， psychological state evaluated using validated scales such as PHQ-9 depression scale and GAD-7 anxiety scale， as well as maintenance frequency and associated costs over a three-week period. Results There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The observation group exhibited significantly lower pain levels at the puncture site during the initial dressing change， reduced bleeding at the puncture site within one week， and a shorter duration of bleeding compared to the control group （P < 0.001）. Moreover， the observation group demonstrated statistically significant decreases in depression and anxiety scores， as well as maintenance frequency and costs within three weeks post-placement when compared to the control group（P < 0.001）. Conclusions The implementation of an early dressing change within 48 hours after PICC catheterization in breast cancer patients undergoing surgery has been demonstrated to effectively ameliorate hemorrhage and discomfort at the puncture site， consequently mitigating patient distress and anxiety. Moreover， this intervention facilitates a decrease in dressing change frequency while reducing financial burdens on patients.

Key words: postoperative breast cancer, peripherally inserted central catheter insertion, timing of initial dressing change