Anaesthetic risks related to patient’s position during surgery

Cardiovascular and respiratory complications related to surgical posture could be greatly avoided. So, appropriate measures both to monitor and to correct these complications must be incorporated into the anesthetic technique. Monitoring of the cardiovascular and respiratory complications by intra-arterial gas sample and the use of end expiratory carbon dioxide measurement should be available. Careful monitoring with a pulse oximetry, blood pressure recording and electrocardiogram represent the minimum to be observed in any patient. Sometimes the posture itself might have to be modified to improve the dangerous cardiovascular effects.Other complications of positioning of the extremities include the neurological complications which are injuries more likely to occur due to compression or stretching leading to nerve ischemia. Skin complication such as ischemia and ulceration are mainly due to excessive pressure over an area of the skin. Eye complications involve corneal injuries as corneal abrasion or ulceration was discussed in this essay.These complication can be avoided through proper support of patient’s arms and legs to prevent nerve injuries, adequate padding at points of pressure to protect skin from ischemia and ulceration. Many simple maneuvers are used and sometimes it is necessary to use the more complex support system to minimize these complications.