Faculty Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2011
Publication Title
Advances in Skin & Wound Care
Volume
24
Issue Number
12
First Page
562
Last Page
570
DOI
10.1097/01.ASW.0000408466.88880.f8
Disciplines
Nursing
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine the effect of external pressure of the bed surface on heel skin temperature in adults in the first 3 days after hip surgery. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study in a prospective, within-subjects, repeated-measures design. SETTING: This study was performed at 2 acute-care hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen subjects (9 men and 9 women) with a mean age of 58.3 (±16.1) years were recruited after hip surgery at the 2 hospitals. METHODS: Temperature sensors were placed on the plantar surface of each foot, close to the heels. Measures were taken when the heels were (1) suspended above the bed surface for 20 minutes (preload), (2) on the bed surface for 15 minutes (loading), and (3) suspended again above the bed surface for 15 minutes (unloading). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Heel skin temperature and demographic data. RESULTS: Heel temperature increased during loading and unloading in both legs on postoperative days 1 (P = .003) and 3 (P = .04) but not on postoperative day 2. Heel temperature in the nonoperative leg decreased in the first 3 minutes of unloading on postoperative days 2 (P = .02) and 3 (P .01). CONCLUSION: Heel temperature increased with loading and unloading on postoperative days 1 and 3. Upon immediate unloading, hyperemic response was present only in the nonoperative leg. Keeping the heels off the bed surface at all times may avoid heel skin temperature changes and prevent tissue damage. Further research is needed to identify the mechanisms that explain the effect of external pressure on heel temperature.
Recommended Citation
Vivian K. Wong, N. A. Stotts, H. W. Hopf, G. A. Dowling, and E. S. Froelicher. "Changes in temperature of heel skin under pressure in hip surgery patients" Advances in Skin & Wound Care (2011): 562-570. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASW.0000408466.88880.f8
Comments
Copyright © 2011 Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. This is the author's post-print verison of a work that was accepted for publication. The definitive version of this article may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.ASW.0000408466.88880.f8.