Pressure injuries resulting from surgical positioning: associated factors and preventive measures based on the literature

Abstract

Pressure injuries resulting from surgical positioning represent a challenge to patient safety and the quality of perioperative nursing care. The present study aimed to analyze the current literature regarding the associated factors and preventive measures related to the occurrence of this adverse event. This is an integrative review guided by the PICO strategy and structured according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was based on original scientific articles indexed in the Virtual Health Library (VHL), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), and Nursing Database (BDENF), with a time frame from 2021 to 2026. This resulted in a final sample of eight studies whose methodological quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) instrument. The results identified prolonged surgical time, advanced age, changes in body composition, and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension as the main associated factors. The highlighted preventive measures included the application of preventive care bundles, the use of appropriate support surfaces, and the application of predictive scales. It is concluded that nurses play a fundamental role in risk management, requiring the implementation of evidence-based protocols and the continuous education of the team to mitigate the incidence of injuries in the surgical environment.