Simple foot holder saves your theatre practitioner's back: a technical tip.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Techniques
• Patient Positioning
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Preoperative skin preparation is crucial for preventing surgical site infections.
• Current methods for foot positioning can lead to musculoskeletal strain in operating theatre practitioners.
• Minimizing healthcare worker injuries is essential for efficient and safe surgical workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a simple and effective technique for foot positioning during preoperative skin preparation.
• To evaluate the potential benefits of this technique in preventing back strain among surgical staff.
• To assess the economic advantages of implementing this method.

Main Methods:

• A prone headrest constructed from gel polymer was utilized.
• The device was employed to support the patient's leg, elevating the foot during the preparation phase.
• The technique was implemented in a standard operating theatre setting.

Main Results:

• The gel polymer headrest effectively supported the patient's leg, maintaining the desired foot elevation.
• The technique significantly reduced the physical strain on operating theatre practitioners' backs.
• Potential cost savings were identified through reduced staff sickness and prevention of litigation.

Conclusions:

• This simple gel polymer headrest technique offers a practical solution for foot positioning in preoperative skin preparation.
• Implementing this method enhances operating theatre practitioner safety by mitigating back strain.
• The technique presents a cost-effective approach to improving workplace safety and reducing associated expenses.