The recliner position: A new operating position for burn surgery

Abstract

Correct positioning of a patient provides the necessary exposure for a surgeon to gain access to complicated burn wounds and therefore can become an essential aspect in determining the procedure’s eventual success. Excision and grafting of burns to the anterior and posterior portions of the shoulder pose special problems stemming from the difficulty in obtaining complete surgical exposure of the entire burn wound with the patient in one position. Thus, excision of circumferential burns of the upper torso often needs to be performed in stages, or necessitates turning the patient intraoperatively with the attendant potential complications. We describe a new position for patients who have sustained deep burns to both anterior and posterior aspects of the upper torso. This technique allows for complete access to the shoulders, and if necessary, the posterior neck.