Abstract
Proper patient positioning is of paramount importance for the completion of a safe and successful operation. The technological advances in the operating room have significantly increased the safety for both patients and healthcare providers. However, the ever-growing volume of cases and their complexity require increase focus on patient care in the operating room (OR).
Patient positioning is a key element of safety in the OR. Particular attention should be paid to the prevention of neural injuries, falls, pressure ulcers, and ocular damages.
Another key element for the success of any surgical intervention is the skin preparation. The correct use of the potent antiseptic solution can decrease the bacterial contamination to a minimum. However, thorough knowledge of such solutions is paramount in order to take full advantage of their effectiveness and to avoid potentially serious complications.
In this chapter, we described the principles of OR safety as it relates to the positioning of the patient and the skin preparation.
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Giambartolomei, G., Szomstein, S., Rosenthal, R., Menzo, E.L. (2018). Fundamentals of Patient Positioning and Skin Prep. In: Palazzo, F. (eds) Fundamentals of General Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75656-1_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75656-1_4
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