2. The term positioning refers to the position of the
surgeon as well as that of the patient.
one of the most crucial steps in any cranial operation
4. In early years‐trial and error
Today though standardized, not absolute
Factors associated:
1. Age
2. Site and nature of lesion
3. Head position in relation to heart
4. Position of anesthesiologist/ nurse
5. Microscope and other imaging equipment
Pediatric patients present a different set of considerations
Some operations have more than one acceptable position
5. Improve precision
Better localization
Patient and surgeon comfort
Access to anesthetist
Access for monitoring
Ergonomical arrangement
6. AIMS/ ADVANTAGES
most direct access to the surgical target and reduces the
working distance for the surgeon.
avoids brain retraction
minimizes bleeding into the operative field
Intracranial pressure is reduced
prevents pressure or traction injuries, including skin
breakdown, ocular injuries, and peripheral nerve injuries
increases the likelihood of a successful operation
16. SUPINE POSITION
common and versatile position
Doesn’t require special instrumentation, is easily achievable
and doesn’t require disconnection of invasive monitors
majority of brain lesions to be accessed with the patient
supine
flexibility of the neck and
ability to rotate the torso with a shoulder roll
17.
18.
19.
20. HEAD POSITIONS
Head straight with flexion to access lesions of the frontal
lobes, anterior interhemispheric fissure, lateral and third
ventricles, bifrontal decompressive craniectomies.
Head in slight extension for subfrontal approaches and
anterior skull base lesions allowing the frontal lobes to fall
away from the anterior cranial fossa
The middle and posterior fossae accessed by turning the head
away from the side of the lesion.
22. MODIFICATIONS
LAWN CHAIR POSITION
Increased venous return from lower extremities
Decreased stress on back, hips and knees
Increased cerebral venous drainage
23. REVERSE TRENDELENBURG POSITION
Precautions:
patient may slip
Decreased perfusion pressure to the brain
Increased incidences of hypotension and venous air
embolism
25. LATERAL POSITION for temporal craniotomies to access lesions of the
temporal lobes and
middle cranial fossa,
for lateral suboccipital approaches to the
cerebellopontine angle and
lateral cerebellum,
for far/ extreme lateral approaches for lesions of the
pineal region, posterior fossa,
foramen magnum, and craniocervical junction
Lateral approaches to the cervical spine
Trans thoracic and retroperitoneal approaches to the spine
Extremely obese or kyphotic patients
Unilateral herniated discs‐offending side up
Lumboperitoneal, syringoperitoneal shunts
26.
27. LIMB POSITIONING
Dependent arm rests on a padded arm board perpendicular to the
torso
Non dependent arm is supported over arm rest or neutral position
Superior knee in extension and the inferior knee in flexion
Axillary roll b/w chest wall and bed caudal to dependent axilla
Multiple padded safety belts or foam padding and tape should be
used
28.
29.
30.
31. ADVANTAGE
to relieve or eliminate any rotation of the neck so as to
preserve venous outflow, especially through the
contralateral jugular vein
COMPLICATIONS
VENTILATION PERFUSION MISMATCH
BRACHIAL PLEXUS INJURIES
33. PRONE POSITION
The prone position is used for access to the
occipital lobes,
midline or paramedian cerebellum,
pineal region,
fourth ventricle, and
upper cervical spine
34.
35. POSITIONING
Initially placed supine on a stretcher
Head is attached to a fixation device.
Turned prone onto the operative table with two gel rolls
oriented longitudinally along the chest.
Foam padding over the thighs and knees.
Knees are flexed by raising the leg portion of the operative
table and placing pillows under the shins.
Operating table is brought into reverse Trendelenburg
position (sub-occipital region is horizontal).
Head fixation device is secured with the head in a flexed
position to facilitate the surgical exposure.
38. ARM POSITION
Arms not to be abducted and elbows not to be extended more than
90 degrees
Elbows should be anterior to the shoulders to avoid wrapping of
brachial plexus
39. ANESTHETIC CONCERNS
Increased intra-thoracic and intra abdominal
pressures
Decreased venous return and cardiac output
Cephalad diaphragm- decreased pulmonary
compliance and FRC of lungs
40. COMPLICATIONS
POST OPERATIVE VISION LOSS
RETINAL ISCHEMIA
ISCHEMIC OPTIC NEUROPATHY
MACROGLOSSIA
POST EXTUBATION AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION
COMPRESSION AND ISCHAEMIC INJURY TO
GENITALIA AND BREAST
41. Concorde position
Modification of the prone position
Best for occipital transtentorial and supracerebellar
infratentorial approaches
42. THREE-QUARTER PRONE POSITION
AKA semi prone/ lateral oblique
Parieto occipital regions
Posterior fossa/ CP angle
Pineal and vermian region
Advantage: comfortable for the surgeon with less risk for embolism,
Less retraction
Leaving the chest uncompressed
Paramedian sub-occipital region at the top of the field without neck rotation
useful for the occipital transtentorial approach for pineal and tentorial region tumors
reverse Trendelenburg position causes good relaxation of the cerebellum and access to its tentorial
surface
43.
44. POSITIONING
placed supine and the head placed in a fixation device
turned three-quarters prone onto the operating table, with
the shoulder on the operative side down.
A roll or pillow placed under the contralateral chest to
elevated approx. 15 degrees off the operative table,
small axillary roll placed under the inferior or ipsilateral axilla
The ipsilateral arm placed behind the body
contralateral arm placed against the patient’s side in a neutral
position down the long axis of the torso
head fixation device is then secured to the operative table.
45. SITTING POSITION
can be used for the retrosigmoid approach to the cerebellopontine
angle
useful for parietooccipital and midline suboccipital craniotomies,
supracerebellar infratentorial approach to the pineal region
modified by many surgeons to the semi-sitting or “beach chair”
position which keeps most of its advantages but allows a rapid
Trendelenburg angling in the case of suspected air embolism
46.
47.
48. ADVANTAGES
Excellent surgical exposure
Drier field and lesser blood loss
Decreased facial swelling
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Patent ventriculo atrial shunts
Patent foramen ovale
Right to left cardiac shunts
Cardiac instability
49. POSITIONING
initially placed supine on the operative table for anesthesia
induction and intubation
Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or
precordial Doppler ultrasonography and a central line
The patient’s head is placed in a fixation device
The back of the operative table is elevated and flexed so that
the patient is in a seated position with the hips in flexion
The knees should also be placed in slight flexion
The head fixation device is secured to the operative table
using a crossbar adaptor specifically designed for the sitting
position,
50. head in a flexed position for optimal visualization.
The goal is to try to reduce the angle of the tentorium
relative to the plane of the operating room floor
Ideally, the neck would be flexed enough to make the
tentorium parallel to the floor
The patient’s arms are typically secured in a neutral
position, padded, and flexed across the abdomen
body is then secured to the operative table with a
padded safety belt or foam padding and tape
51. critical points
crossbar must be attached to the back of the table, the
same table segment to which the head frame is
attached
care must be taken to ensure that the body is well
supported, so that the whole weight of the patient is
not hanging from the head in the clamp. Traction may
be placed on the neck; few reported cases of
quadriplegia after use of the sitting position.
52. AIR EMBOLISM
Incidence: upto 75% with TEE,20-30% with chest ECHO
Sites: suboccipital venous plexus, occipital emissary veins, dural
sinus, diploic veins, veins inside tumor
Signs: cyanosis and cardiovascular collapse
Monitoring:
Decreased end tidal CO2/ pO2
Sudden hypotension
QRS widening, ST changes
53. Management
Waxing the cut ends of bones
Coagulate open veins
Flood with irrigating solutions
Pack the wound with wet guage
Left lateral recumbent position right up
Aspirate air
Avoid nitrous oxide
Cardiovascular support with inotropes
54. Post op Pneumocephalus
Can be 100%
Nitric oxide
Tension pneumocephalus
Quadriplegia
From cervical spine ischemia
avoid neck hyper flexion
55. Summary of task force consensus on the prevention of
perioperative peripheral neuropathies relevant to
positioning for neurosurgery
Preop assessment:
Check if patient can tolerate the anticipated position
Upper extremity:
Arm abduction should be limited to 90deg
Prone may tolerate more than 90deg
Decrease pressure on ulnar groove (humerus), neutral
forearms
Radial nerve in spiral groove
Elbow extension may injure the median nerve
56. Cont…
Lower extremity:
Peroneal nerve at fibular head
Hip flexion-extension does not cause femoral neuropathy
Padding:
Padded armboards decrease risks
Chest rolls in lateral positions decrease risks
Equipments:
Proper functioning BP cuff, do not increase risks
Shoulder braces in steep head down positions may increase brachial
plexus injury
57. Cont…
Post op assessment
Simple assessment of extremity nerve function leads to early
recognition
Documentation
Improves care by helping practitioners focus attention on
relevant aspect of positioning
ASA task force on the prevention of perioperative peripheral neuropathies. Practice advisory for the prevention of perioperative
peripheral neuropathies. Anesthesiology 2000; 92: 1168-1182
58. Position Complications
Supine excessive head rotation, pressure sores,
alopecia
Prone pressure sores, vascular compromise,
brachial plexus injuries, stretch injuries,
blindness, embolism, anesthetic
problems
Concorde same
Three quarter prone same
Lateral brachial plexus injuries, stretch injuries,
pressure palsies
61. STANDARD TABLE
bolsters, adjunctive strap-on frames, pillows, and/or
customized rolls are generally necessary to achieve the
desired patient position.
62. WILSON FRAME
adjunctive positioning frame for prone spinal surgery
adapted to both spinal and standard tables
The two laterally placed, adjustable longitudinal pads allow the
patient’s abdomen, breasts, and genitals to hang freely below the
padded supports
induces varying degrees of kyphosis in the thoracolumbar spine,
thus better suiting it for procedures requiring only decompression
rather than those including instrumentation and/or arthrodesis.
65. CASPAR HEAD HOLDER
utilized for supine anterior cervical surgery
A flexible rubber chin strap provides a modest degree of traction
and neck extension while stabilizing the head by pulling the
mandible away from the surgical field