Risk factors for pressure ulcers from the use of a pelvic positioner in hip surgery: a retrospective observational cohort study in 229 patients

BACKGROUND: Intraoperatively acquired pressure ulcers are serious postsurgical complications requiring additional treatment, reoperation, and extended hospitalization. No study has investigated the frequency of the ulcers caused by compression with a pelvic positioner, which is used in hip surgeries to stabilize patients in the lateral decubitus position. METHODS: This retrospective study investigated the risk factors and the frequency of the ulcers caused by the use of pelvic positioners in hip surgeries. The records of patients who underwent surgical procedures under general anesthesia at our institution between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2018 were reviewed. The inclusion criterion for the assessment of risk factors was hip surgery in the lateral decubitus position stabilized by a pelvic positioner. The exclusion criteria were patients with trauma, missing data, or a pre-existing pressure ulcer. Finally,.the study included 229 patients (265 hip surgeries). All the patients were positioned in the lateral decubitus position with the assistance of either a pelvic positioner, which had a single support fixture located over the pubic symphysis or a double support fixture located over the bilateral anterior superior iliac spine. Intraoperatively acquired pressure ulcers were diagnosed when ulcers were absent on admission and the redness that was observed immediately after surgery remained after 24 h. Multivariate analysis was used to identify factors associated with an increased risk for ulcers. RESULTS: Ulcers developed in 8 of 1810 (0.44%) patients who underwent orthopedic surgery. Seven of the 265 (2.64%) patients who underwent hip surgery in the lateral decubitus position stabilized by a pelvic positioner developed ulcers. All ulcers were located on areas of the body that were compressed by the pelvic positioner. After identifying controls for patient height (less than 154 cm), surgery duration (longer than 180 min), blood loss (more than 355 ml), and type of pelvic positioner used, we identified the independent risk factors for ulcers to be patient height < 154 cm (adjusted odds ratio, 12.8; p-value, 0.032) and the use of pelvic positioners with pubic bone support (adjusted odds ratio, 10.53; p-value, 0.047). CONCLUSION: The use of pelvic positioners with pubic bone support should be avoided in patients with a height of < 154 cm to decrease the risk of ulcers.