Exacerbating Challenges of Sexual Dysfunction after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Many patients suffer from sexual dysfunction after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, which can have psychological, physical, and pharmacological backgrounds. Untreated sexual dysfunction will impair the quality of life of these patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to explain male patientschr('39') experiences with sexual problems after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Methods: This qualitative study was performed with the approach of conventional content analysis in Tehran in 2020. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 men after coronary artery bypass graft surgery at the hospitalchr('39')s cardiac surgery clinic and the surgeonchr('39')s clinic. Participants were selected by the targeted sampling method. After obtaining informed consent, the collected data were written word by word, and the content analysis approach was used to name the data, create analytical codes, and determine subcategories and categories Results: In this study, a significant category of Threatened public health after surgery was extracted, including three subcategories of physical limitations, mental limitations, and therapeutic limitations. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that sexual dysfunction is common in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and there are significant reasons including psychological, physical, and pharmacological factors that should be included in all of these. Serious attention should be paid so that patients return to their sexual life immediately after surgery and the quality of life of these patients is not impaired. Therefore, it is recommended that health policymakers create a culture and plan to solve the problems created in these patientschr('39') sexual relations.