Comparison of two placement methods for preventing heel pressure injury during pectus carinatum surgery in children

Objective To investigate the application of different supine placement methods in preventing heel-acquired pressure injury in pectus carinatum surgery.

Methods A total of 86 patients whounderwent pectus carinatum surgery were enrolled in the study, and were randomly divided into control group (46 cases) and observation group(40 cases) by random number table method. In the control group, a gel heel pad was placed on the heel to prevent acquired pressure injury of the heel, while a suitable height sponge pad was placed under the calf to completely decompress by increasing the heels to prevent the acquired pressure injury of the heel in the observation group. The effects of two placement methods in preventing heel-acquired pressure injury were compared.

Results There was no acquired pressure injury of the heel in the observation group. There were 17 cases with stage 1 acquired pressure injury in the control group. The incidence of heel-acquired pressure injury in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion The use of sponge pads on calves to completely decompress by increasing the heels in children who underwent pectus carinatum surgery can significantly reduce the incidence of intraoperative heel-acquired pressure injury.