In surgery, positioning and postural stability is very important particularly in cases that would require the patient to be in a certain position for quite some time. The lateral position is where the patient lies on their side, and this position is often used in surgeries to the kidney, chest, and hips. Nevertheless, experts working from this perspective can cause pressure injuries, nerve damage and malalignment among the patients they are treating. This is why lateral position gel pads commonly referred to as silicon gel pads, are important contributing to the support of the patient and his or her safety.
The Importance of Patient Alignment and Stability
While in the lateral position, a patient’s weight is applied to certain aspects of the body such as the shoulder, hip, and other youths which leads to discomfort, nerve compression and soft tissue injury. Posture is critical to guarantee all body parts and specifically the spine, neck, and limbs are set in a correct manner to avoid stress. Discrepancy of these vectors affects blood circulation and the formation of nerves that cause more problems in the operation theater and to the patient.
Role of Lateral Position Gel Pads in Patient Support
Lateral position gel pads are intended to help manage these problems. Currently, many of those used are produced using appropriate materials including silicone gel, thus ensuring that the patient weight is well distributed so as not to exert pressure on sensitive parts of the body. The even distribution reduces the chances of accidentally injuring the tissue and nerves, and provides a stable and secure stance that is detrimental both to the comfort of the patient during the operation, as well as the surgeon.
Pressure Relief: Lateral position gel pads decrease pressure distribution over the body, and cushion vulnerable parts such as hips, shoulders, and knees. Their cushioning nature relieves pressure on the skin thus offering comfort and protecting any skin from arising pressure associated effects.
Enhanced Stability: These pads have no slip characteristics which ensures that the patient does not move around on the operation table. This stability is especially important in operations that usually need a surgeon to hold a certain position, in order not to cause any disruption by shifting or slipping.
Alignment Support: Lateral position gel pads are intended to give a set of controlled alignment of spine and limbs, so that the patient’s body remains in a comfortable position. It also helps to make the procedure safer as well as helping to reduce the risk of the problem that one may face after the surgery such as joint pain or muscle rigidity.
Benefits of Silicone Gel in Lateral Position Gel Pads
Silicone gel is preferred for these pads because of the following reasons: non-degradable, flexible, and non-allergic. Silicon gel pads provide a soft surface of flexible tissue to patients’ skin, which adapts to the shape of a patient’s body, thus it puts pressure on all points affecting the skin without causing any discomfort. This material also does not vary with the change in the climate and does not get either very hot or very cold, which may cause inconvenience. Furthermore, silicone is reusable, and therefore its shapes and functions remain intact with each use which depicts the hospitals and surgical centers as cost effective when using this material.
Conclusion
Professional lateral position gel pads especially those made from silicone gel are among the most essential equipment in a contemporary surgical theater. Not only would they be helpful in directly addressing the issue of patient alignment and stability but also a more important role for the smooth operation of surgery and to minimize surgical risks. When used together with the OT table mat, these pads provide an enhanced comfort to the patient, and at the same time create an environment that enables the surgeon to work in an unraveled manner, thereby avoiding resistance from the patient. Therefore, the lateral position gel pad is an ideal product any hospital management should consider acquiring to improve the quality of surgery and, therefore, patient attention.
