A prospective cohort study of risk factors for skin disorders at the margins of surgical wound dressings

Abstract

　The purpose of this study was to clarify the risk factors for skin disorders that develop at the margins of dressings applied to surgical wounds. Twenty-six patients who underwent respiratory tract surgery in the lateral position were included. The shear force and thickness of adipose tissue in the midaxillary line were assessed preoperatively. In the postoperative period, the absence or presence of perspiration and heat was recorded. Skin disorders（erythemas or blisters）were visually monitored for up to seven days after surgery by one certified nurse. Of 21 patients who were evaluated, skin disorders developed in ten. A comparison of patients who developed skin disorders and those who did not demonstrated a significant difference in the shear force in the midaxillary line at nipple height and in the body mass index（BMI）with a cut-off level of 28.5 mm and 23.4 kg/m²，respectively. Logistic regression analysis only demonstrated a significant difference in the shear force at the midaxillary line at nipple height. BMI and shear force were found to be risk factors for skin disorders developing at the margins of dressings applied to surgical wounds in respiratory surgical patients.