Self-management perceptions and needs in patients with thoracic surgical wound dehiscence: a descriptive phenomenological qualitative study

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Background Postoperative wound dehiscence is a severe complication in thoracic surgery, yet patients’ self-management experiences remain largely underexplored. This study aims to explore the current cognitive status and potential needs of patients with dehiscence after thoracic surgery regarding self-management in the Chinese context, and to provide a theoretical basis for formulating personalized and precise wound self-management support plans. Methods This study adopts a descriptive phenomenological qualitative research design. By using the purposive sampling method, patients with postoperative wound dehiscence in thoracic surgery who visited three tertiary hospitals in Shanghai from March 2026 to May 2026 were selected as the participants for semi-structured in-depth interviews. With the aid of NVivo 15.0 software, the interview data were sorted and analyzed by using the seven-step analysis method of Colaizzi phenomenology. Results A total of 21 participants were ultimately included in this study, and 2 core themes and 6 sub-themes were extracted. Theme 1, Cognitive and practical limitations in self-management, comprises: knowledge deficit and cognitive biases; limited self-care capacity; and illness uncertainty with negative attitudes. Theme 2, Multidimensional needs for self-management support, includes: professional knowledge and skills guidance; continuous professional care; and psychosocial support. Conclusion Patients with thoracic surgical wound dehiscence experience significant cognitive dissonance and face complex practical barriers during self-management. Their lived experiences highlight an urgent need for tailored professional guidance, continuous care, and psychosocial support. However, recruiting participants exclusively from tertiary hospitals in a single metropolitan area may limit the transferability of these findings. In the future, clinical medical staff should take patients’ needs as the orientation, combine the cultural characteristics of China, and build a full-cycle self-management support model to empower patients, alleviate illness uncertainty, and promote wound healing.

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