The Effect of Different Positions in Children After Cardiac Surgery On Vital Signs And Oxygen Saturation

Convenient ventilation management after pediatric cardiac surgery and the positioning of the patient helps to reduce the maximum intrathoracic pressure and venous stasis of the trunk and upper extremities that facilitates the drainage of the blood in the lungs. Due to the fact that the Pre-operative and post-operative management has tremendously changed for the last years, more detailed and up-to-date information is required related to the effect of the body position on the changes of the lung capacities and the pulmonary function. Based on this reason, this research was designed to determine the effect of three different positions as a randomized controlled prospective study.

In case the unit does not contain as routine any obstacle for position (unilateral oedema, ciculation disorder in the extremities, non-bilateral pulmonary atelectasis or dense infiltration, patients who cannot be administered dormicum or fentaver) right lateral, left lateral and supine positions are given. First positioning; also in routine, the standart position given to the first patients is supine position. The patient is first placed supine. Then his arms and legs are supported with support pillows. Transducer level and cuff pressure are controlled, SpO2 probe, ECG probes are controlled. If there's CVK connection, if there isn't any arterial connection, the cuff is controlled and in order to avoid heat loss the patient is covered after controling the body temperature and the position is completed.

In positioning, the 2nd method is right lateral positioning. In this positioning, the patient bed is straightened. Later on, the patient's SpO2 probe, ECG probes, CVK, arterial and cuff connections are once again moved to the right side of the patient and moved from below the patient's body without contact with the body in order to ensure the connections. Then, the patient is turned to right side with angle of 60 or 90 degrees and back is supported with a pillow from the neck to his sacrum, between the legs is also supported with a pillow. Afterwards, the patient's head is elevated with 45 to 60 degrees. Body temperature is controlled. The body is covered in order to avoid temperature loss and position is completed.

The third position that is used is left lateral position. In this positioning, the patient bed is straightened. Then, the patient's SpO2 probe, ECG probe, CVK, artery and cuff connections are transferred to the left side and the connections are made by passing the connections from below the pillow of the patient without touching the body. Later on, The patient is turned to left side with angle of 60 or 90 degrees to the left and the patient's back is supported with pillow from the neck until the sacrum, between the legs is again covered with a pillow. After that, the patient's head is elevated with 45-60 degrees. Body temperature is controlled, covered in order to avoid temperature loss and position is completed.

In this unit, after performing the applications related to the method used, the patient's vital signs and SpO2 are checked and recorded every half hour in the postoperative 24 hours, and hourly in the following processes.