The applied research of homemade head and neck fixation pillow in patients with oral and maxillofacial free flap transplantation / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effects of homemade head and neck fixation pillow in patients with oral and maxillofacial free flap transplantation. Methods Totally 114 patients who needed head and neck fixation after oral and maxillofacial free flap transplantation were divided into the observation group (58 cases) and the control group (56 cases) based on the admitted consequence. Besides the routine treatment and nursing measures, the observation group received head and neck fixation with homemade head and neck fixation pillow, while the control group received traditional fixation with sandbags. The patients′ comfortable degree, compliance, occipital skin condition and the nurses′evaluation of clinical application were investigated. Results The degree of comfort were (2.93 ± 1.28) points in the observation group and (4.96±1.25) points in the control group, respectively. The comfortable degree was higher in the observation group than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant (t=-8.569,P<0.05). There were 43 patients with complete compliance, 15 with partial compliance, and 0 with no compliance in the observation group respectively, while 18 with complete compliance, 35 with partial compliance, and 3 with no compliance in the control group respectively. The compliance was better in the observation group than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). None of the patients in the observation group had pressure ulcer, while 3 patients in the control group had stageⅠpressure ulcer. 96.9％of the nurses considered the homemade head and neck fixation pillow was easy to operate. 100.0％of the nurses considered the homemade headand neck fixation pillow could immobilize the patient′s head and neck effectively. Conclusion The homemade head and neck fixation pillow is easy to operate and can effectively immobilize the patient′s head and neck, protect the patient′s occipital skin, as well as improve patient′s comfort and compliance.