Effect of Nurse-Applied Aloe Vera and Rosemary Oil Combination on Pressure Injury Prevention in Orthopaedic Surgery: A Triple-Blind Randomized Trial.

Study Summary

160 orthopaedic surgery patients at moderate-to-severe risk of pressure injury (PI) were randomized to receive an aloe vera–rosemary combination spray, rosemary oil spray, aloe vera gel spray, or placebo spray, in addition to routine PI prevention care. The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of Stage I PI. Secondary outcomes included pain intensity measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and skin temperature at the sacrum, hip, and heel. PI incidence was assessed at days 3, 7, and 10, while pain and skin temperature were monitored daily for 10 days. Overall, the results of the study revealed that the aloe vera–rosemary combination was associated with the lowest total PI incidence, while rosemary oil alone also reduced PI risk compared with control. The combination also produced favourable changes in pain and skin temperature, suggesting that aloe vera–rosemary spray may be a useful adjunct to standard PI prevention in at-risk orthopaedic patients.