Top Mistakes to Avoid When Using Prone Head Rest in Surgery

 A prone head rest is the other important tool whereby the patient is assured of safety and comfort in case of surgeries that call for practicing of prone position. However, there are several pitfalls that surgical teams can make as the following, which may reduce the efficacy of the head rest and the patient experience. Here we describe the main follies which must be avoided practicing prone head rest in surgery.


1. Inadequate Patient Assessment

In positioning the patients, there is a need to undertake an initial analysis of the patients. If the doctor neglects the patient’s physical condition and whether the patient has had spinal problems or has any structural abnormalities, they will place the prone head rest incorrectly. It is always important to think of the health status of the patient, possible surgeries the patient is undergoing and his or her health complications. This way one will be sure of an ideal position and also minimize chances of shock and other complications.


2. Ignoring Proper Alignment

Therefore one of the main purposes of a prone head rest is to ensure that the head and neck are in proper positions. A common mistake seen often is incorrect positioning of the head rest thereby causing pressure on the cervical spine. Of most importance is the fact that the head should be in a straight position other than being tilted to one side as this causes injury to the nerves and further limits on blood circulation. The ot table positioning gel pads achieves the necessary alignment and can also be helpful in this question from the point of comfort.


3. Neglecting Pressure Points

Prolonged surgery and utilizing the prone position are both risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers. The various pressure points are not identified and cushioned, there might result in the formation of pressure sores. The prone headrest should be used with supine position gel pads in order to minimize pressure and distribute weight bearing. It is also important to pay attention to bony prominences, and change their position during the procedure if needed.


4. Inadequate Padding Selection

Even the type of padding used can be bad for your health decision if not well selected. Supine position gel pads are also present; some of them with particular configurations do not offer the same level of support if the patient is prone. It, therefore, becomes important to choose gel pads that are to be used while in the prone position and tailored for head and neck regions. This assures increased comfort as well as reducing the possibility of pressure ulcers.








5. Lack of Team Communication

Interactions between the operating surgical team are critical especially during positioning of the patient. In particular, the positioning strategy should be directly discussed in order to avoid some mistakes and anomalies. Every person working in a team should be informed about involvement in positioning the patient safely and in assessing the efficacy of the prone head rest. Two aspects that can be worked on so a mistake won’t happen involves setting structured practices and casual alerts with each other.


6. Overlooking Equipment Maintenance

Equipment used in surgery such as prone head rests and positioning gel pads, are some of the most ignored when it comes to maintenance. When equipment gets old or damaged patients are placed at risk. Make sure all used equipment has to be checked for its condition and its ability to perform before each surgery. This means that gel pads should be cleaned by washing them in warm water and rinsing them in running water to remove any microbes that might be present due to cross contamination, while any gel pads that should exhibit signs of wear or be in any way faulty should be replaced as soon as possible.


Conclusion

The following recommendations could certainly help improve the safety and comfort of the patients and thus whenever prone head rest is in use the above mistakes have to be avoided. Incorporation of full assessment, ideal positioning, appropriate verbal instructions, and correct use of positioning gel pads make surgery safer for the surgical teams. In essence, the secret to proper patients positioning is in detail and constant monitoring during the entire process.

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