RISK OF INJURIES RELATED TO SURGICAL POSITIONING: AN ASSESSMENT IN A BRAZILIAN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

Objective: to assess the risk for the development of injuries related to surgical positioning. Method: a crosssectional study with a sample comprised by adults undergoing elective surgeries (n=146) in Paraná, Brazil. The Risk Assessment Scale for the Development of Injuries arising from Surgical Positioning was applied, with extraction of sociodemographic variables. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. Results: men (49.3%) and women (50.7%) presented equal distribution of appointments, mostly in the Orthopedics specialty (39.7%). The following stood out as per the scale applied: use of conventional mattress + cotton field cushions as a support surface (100%); supine position (78%); upper limbs with opening less than 90º (70.5%); regional anesthesia (54.1%), and surgical time of 1h-2h (46.6%). A mean score of 17.6±3.29 points was found and 75.3% of the sample presented low risk for the development of injuries related to surgical positioning. Conclusion: around 25% of the sample presented a higher risk of injuries arising from surgical positioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]