Intraoperative Pressure Injury Prevention

Area of Science:

• Perioperative Medicine
• Surgical Patient Safety
• Wound Prevention

Background:

• Operating room (OR) pressure injury (PI) prevention presents unique challenges.
• Patient and surgical factors significantly influence PI risk.
• Current knowledge on intraoperative PI prevention requires further development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the multifaceted nature of intraoperative pressure injury prevention.
• To identify key patient-specific and surgery-specific risk factors for intraoperative PIs.
• To underscore the need for continued research and knowledge advancement in this complex area.

Main Methods:

• Review of patient-specific risk factors including American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, sex, BMI, comorbidities, age, and nutritional status.
• Analysis of surgery-specific risk factors such as procedure length, intraoperative hypotension, normothermia maintenance, and blood loss.
• Synthesis of current understanding regarding the complexity of the OR environment and its impact on PI prevention.

Main Results:

• Patient factors like ASA classification, BMI, and comorbidities are critical determinants of intraoperative PI risk.
• Surgical factors including procedure duration, hemodynamic stability, thermal regulation, and blood loss are significant contributors to PI development.
• The operating room environment presents a complex interplay of factors that complicate effective PI prevention strategies.

Conclusions:

• Effective intraoperative pressure injury prevention necessitates a comprehensive approach addressing individual patient vulnerabilities.
• Mitigating risks associated with surgical procedures and maintaining optimal physiological conditions are crucial for preventing intraoperative PIs.
• Further research is essential to advance the science and practice of pressure injury prevention in the operating room setting.