<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Patient positioning is a crucial step in neurosurgical interventions This is the responsibility of both the neurosurgeon and the anesthesiologist. Patient safety, surgeon’s comfort, choosing an optimal trajectory to the lesion, reducing brain tension by facilitating venous drainage, using gravitation to maintain the lesion exposed and dynamic retraction represent general rules for correct positioning. All bony prominences must be protected by silicone padding. The head can be positioned using a horseshoe headrest or three pin skull clamp, following the general principles: avoiding elevating the head above heart more than 30 degrees, avoiding turning the head to one side more than 30 degrees and maintaining 2 to 3 finger breaths between chin and sternum. Serious complications can occur if the patient is not properly positioned so this is why great care must be paid during this step of the surgical act.</p></abstract>

Patient positioning is a crucial step in neurosurgical interventions This is the responsibility of both the neurosurgeon and the anesthesiologist. Patient safety, surgeon’s comfort, choosing an optimal trajectory to the lesion, reducing brain tension by facilitating venous drainage, using gravitation to maintain the lesion exposed and dynamic retraction represent general rules for correct positioning. All bony prominences must be protected by silicone padding. The head can be positioned using a horseshoe headrest or three pin skull clamp, following the general principles: avoiding elevating the head above heart more than 30 degrees, avoiding turning the head to one side more than 30 degrees and maintaining 2 to 3 finger breaths between chin and sternum. Serious complications can occur if the patient is not properly positioned so this is why great care must be paid during this step of the surgical act.

Patient Positioning in Neurosurgery, Principles and Complications

George Emil Palade University of Medicine

Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures

Acta Marisiensis - Seria Medica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Patient Positioning in Neurosurgery, Principles and Complications"}

Patient positioning is a crucial step in neurosurgical interventions This is the responsibility of both the neurosurgeon and the anesthesiologist. Patient...

Patient Positioning in Neurosurgery, Principles and Complications

Published Online: Mar 31, 2020

Page range: 9 - 14

Received: Dec 03, 2019

Accepted: Feb 13, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2020-0007

Keywords
positioning, complications, patient safety

© 2020 Adrian Balasa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Patient Positioning in Neurosurgery, Principles and Complications

Published Online: Mar 31, 2020

Page range: 9 - 14

Received: Dec 03, 2019

Accepted: Feb 13, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2020-0007

Keywordspositioning, complications, patient safety

© 2020 Adrian Balasa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
positioning, complications, patient safety