Riassunto dello studio

One hundred patients undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery were randomized to be placed in a supine position using viscoelastic sponge support options (n=50) or the addition of anti-pressure gel pads (n=50). The outcomes of interest included pain evaluated using the McGill Melzack Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) for regions including the neck, waist, scapula, arm, gluteal, and heel; the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for regions including the neck, waist, scapula, arm, gluteal, and heel; the incidence of pain depending on position of nonsurgical area during surgery; the incidence of pain in the recovery room and 24-hours post-surgery; and the incidence of mobilization, weakness, and allergic reactions. Results demonstrated that incidence of weakness (p=0.001) and mobilization (p=0.027) was statistically significantly lower in the intervention group. Moreover, the change in pain according to VAS and the MPQ were statistically significantly lower for regions including the neck, waist, and arm (p<0.05). Moreover, average pain using the MPQ in the recovery room and 24-hours post-surgery was also statistically significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control (p=0.001 for both). Finally, the use of anti-pressure gel padding was found to impact position-related pain.