Pressure in the Operating Room: A Potential Contributor to Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries.

This article focuses on measuring interface pressure on the sacral and buttock areas of adult burn patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia (GA) in the supine position, to assess potential contributions to hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs). Using a wireless pressure sensor mat, the study found that both average and peak pressures increased significantly when one or both legs were suspended during surgery, with peak pressures exceeding the critical ischemic threshold of 100 mmHg for nearly half of the operative time in cases with both legs elevated. The findings suggest that intraoperative positioning, particularly leg elevation, may elevate pressure-related risk factors for HAPI development in burn patients, highlighting the need for further research on pressure reduction strategies and the relationship between surgical positioning and pressure injury incidence.