Complications Related to Patient Positioning During Anesthesia

Abstract

The aim of optimal positioning for surgery is to provide the best surgical access while minimizing potential risk to the patient. Each position carries some degree of risk and this is magnified in the anaesthetized patient who cannot make others aware of compromised positions. Commonly adopted positions include supine, lithotomy, lateral, seated and prone.Many of these are modified with the addition of a vertical tilt (Trendelenburg or reverse Trendelenburg). This article addresses the general complications associated with positioning as well as the position-specific physiological changes and complications. Positions seemed optimal for surgery; often result in undesirable physiologic changes, such as hypotension from impaired venous return to the heart or oxygen desaturation owing to ventilation-perfusion mismatching. In addition, peripheral nerve injuries during surgery remain a significant source of perioperative morbidity. Proper positioning requires the cooperation of anaesthesiologists, surgeons, and nurses to ensure patient well-being and safety while providing surgical exposure