Perioperative risk factors of pressure injuries in Korean patients after surgery for intracranial hemorrhage: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Neurosurgical patients are more likely to develop pressure injuries caused by long operation time and decreased consciousness. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the perioperative risk factors of pressure injuries among neurosurgical patients in Korea. Thus, this study aimed to identify the incidence and perioperative risk factors of post-operative pressure injuries in patients after brain surgery. This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary care university hospital in Korea. Patients who underwent surgery for treating intracranial hemorrhage were included. Data from medical records for analysis were collected between April 2010 to March 2020. Among the 386 patients, 103 patients (26.7%) developed postoperative pressure injuries. The most common site of pressure injury was the coccyx (n = 56, 38.9%). About more than half of patients were in stage Ⅱ and the 43 (41.7%) patients developed pressure injuries after 14 days of post-surgery period. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that being older age (p = .025), receiving packed red blood cells transfusion during intensive care unit stay (p = .004), and staying in the intensive care unit for more than 7 days (p < .001) increased the risk of pressure injury after brain surgery. Older adults with longer stay in neurosurgical intensive care units and requiring blood transfusion should be carefully assessed to prevent pressure injuries within 7 days of intensive care unit admission. Postoperative pressure injuries of neurosurgical patients can be prevented by effective handover communication at intra-and inter-departmental level.