Perioperative Care of the Morbidly Obese Patient in the Lithotomy Position

The lithotomy position is used daily in the OR to position patients for vaginal, rectal, and urologic procedures. Use of this position requires a careful nursing assessment to ensure that the patient can tolerate having his or her legs placed in the stirrups and to ensure that no pressure points exist for the duration of the surgery. Caring for a patient who is morbidly obese and who requires surgery in the lithotomy position can be especially challenging, and the possibility of injury to the patient or staff members should be considered. A case study involving the care of a patient who weighed almost 600 lb undergoing surgery in the lithotomy position demonstrates ways to provide safe care for this type of challenging patient.