Goals of Proper Positioning
- To maintain circulation
- To maintain patient’s airway and avoid constriction or pressure on the chest cavity
- To prevent nerve damage
- To provide adequate exposure of the operative site
- To provide comfort and safety to the patient
When Positioning a patient, following criteria should be met to prevent injury from pressure, obstruction, or stretching:
- Accessibility for anesthetic administration
- Accessibility to operative site
- Maintenance of individual requirements
- Minimal skin pressure
- No interference with circulation
- No interference with respiration
- No pressure on peripheral nerves
- No undue musculoskeletal discomfort
The surgical team should assess the following prior to positioning of the patient
- Patient's age, weight, skin condition, mobility/limitations, pre-existing conditions, etc.
- Procedure length
- Required position for procedure
- Surgeon’s preference of position
- Anesthesia to be administered
- Basics of anatomy & physiology
- Patient’s privacy and medical needs
- Patient’s risk factors
Basic Surgical Positions
- Supine Position
- Prone Position
- Lateral Position
- Lithotomy Position
Position Variations
- Trendelenburg
- Reverse Trendelenburg
- Fowler’s
- Jackknife
- High lithotomy
- Low lithotomy
