Positioning the surgical patient

Optimal surgical positioning aids surgical access and reduces the risk of injury to the patient. Safe positioning represents a considerable challenge, and to achieve these goals it is imperative that the anaesthetist, surgeon and theatre personnel work together as a well-coordinated team. Malpositioning is associated with significant morbidity, and nerve injuries are a common complication. Here, some of the key measures are described that will enable safe positioning of the patient and that will reduce the risk of injury during surgery. A number of physiological changes that occur in the common positions utilized for surgical procedures are also described.