Interface pressure measurement during surgery: a comparison of four operating table surfaces

To compare the pressure-reducing and pressure-redistributing characteristics of four operating room (OR) table mattresses using interface pressure measurements, in two positions adopted for surgical procedures.

Support surfaces were randomly assigned to 80 patients. These were: an overlay pad filled with fibres (the standard OR mattress), a custom-made viscoelastic polyurethane foam mattress, an inflatable mattress with air-filled cells and a fluid mattress. An XSENSOR full-body pressure-mapping pad was used to record interface pressures of 40 patients in the supine position and 40 patients in the lithotomy position. Measurements were analysed for peak pressure, peak pressure index, total contact surface area and the occurrence of a significant increase in interface pressure during the surgical procedure.

The highest interface pressures were measured on the standard mattress, in both the supine and lithotomy position. Overall, the fluid mattress showed the best pressure-reducing and pressure-redistributing capacities.

As long as no reference values are available for interface pressures under which no pressure-related damage will occur, clinical testing of OR table surfaces is still necessary.