Risk factors for intraoperative pressure injuries in patients undergoing digestive surgery: A retrospective study

To investigate the incidence of intraoperative blanchable erythema and pressure injuries in patients undergoing digestive surgery and to explore potential risk factors.

Pressure injuries pose significant economic and healthcare burden to patients and are used as one of the key indicators of nursing in the operation room with high incidence.

A retrospective observational study.

Basic information and the results of 3S intraoperative risk assessment scale of pressure injury were obtained from the information system. And the patients with intraoperative blanchable erythema or pressure injuries were followed up for 72 hr by the information system. The clinical data were collected to analyse risk factors for intraoperative blanchable erythema and pressure injuries by univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis. STROBE checklist for cohort studies was applied in the preparation of the paper.

Of 5,136 surgical cases, 134 (2.61%) had blanchable erythema, 37 (0.72%) had intraoperative pressure injuries, and 8 (0.16%) had pressure injuries at 72-hr follow-up. Preoperative skin under compression, preoperative physical activity, surgical position and extra intraoperative pressure were considered independent risk factors for intraoperative pressure injuries.

The incidence of pressure injuries in our study was lower than those reported in the previous studies. Accessing preoperative skin under compression, preoperative physical activity, surgical position and extra intraoperative pressure was considered to be significant for preventing pressure injuries.

The findings suggest that preoperative skin under compression, preoperative physical activity, surgical position and extra intraoperative pressure are associated with intraoperative pressure injuries in patients undergoing digestive surgery.