L’insorgenza di lesioni da pressione nella fase intraoperatoria

Introduction: patients undergoing long surgical procedures are at risk of developing pressure sores. A wound of the subcutaneous tissue, between bony prominences and the operating table, occurring between the first hour and 4-6 hours after the continuous maintenance of the same position. In particular, the risk is present for immobility time more than 2 hours.
Factors that increase the risk of injury during surgery are obesity and thinness, age over 70 years, pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and immunodeficiency,
previous skin wounds or pressure sores and smoking history.
Purpose: we implemented the problem concerning pressure sores in the operating room as a possible complication of prolonged immobility on the operating table. Aim of the study is assess the intra-operative onset of pressure sores, evaluating the effectiveness of current protective measures, in order to hypothesize the use of a preventive dressings hydrocolloids in classes of patients previously selected.
Materials and methods: in the operating theaters of the Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, between May and September 2012, 90 adult surgical patients undergoing elective surgery lasting more than 2 hours were recruited. For each of the recruited patients, who have been granted the usual nursing, an evaluation form was compiled.
Results/ conclusion: the analysis of the data showed that 79% of the subjects investigated has manifested persistent erythema and that prolonged immobility is definitely identified as a risk factor for the occurrence of pressure sores, with a percentage of risk that increases in a directly proportional way to the increase of the hours of surgery and, in particular, each hour of surgery.