key: cord-0902210-e9jez6f5
authors: de Matias, Layla Alba; Mendes, Eugenio Esmeraldino; Baggio, Aline Oenning; Marcon, Chaiana Esmeraldino Mendes
title: “Prone positioning as an emerging tool in the care provided to patients infected with COVID-19: a scoping review”
date: 2021-11-19
journal: Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem
DOI: 10.1590/1518-8345.5556.3501
sha: b39e37a92209a81657ef4c87bcdb4344b238307c
doc_id: 902210
cord_uid: e9jez6f5

nan

The study by Marília Souto de Araújo and colleagues (1) presents the benefits and risks of applying the prone position in the care process of hospitalized patients with COVID-19, and it has concluded that more positive outcomes stood out from the negative ones, thus showing the reduction of hypoxemia and mortality.

The prone position was already a maneuver used to fight hypoxemia in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, showing improvement by changing the pulmonary regions compressed by the heart, enabling increased cardiac output and reduced lung weight, which is increased by edema and is aggravated by gravity, and may reduce the action of your weight when you are in a prone position. It is important to highlight that its use presents significant improvements for patients in intensive care and in wards, representing a tool that can be established in early treatment, shortening the patient's length of hospital stay and having positive effects on clinical outcomes (2) .

The main complications of the prone position are due to the development of pressure ulcers, brachial plexus injury and difficulties in venous access. For this reason, intensive care requires teams that are prepared to prevent such progress, making changes in the patient's position to reduce pressure points and avoid nerve damage. The use of pillows and pronation cycles lasting 12 to 16 hours can contribute to the reduction of ulcers, preventing its consequences which are related to high mortality. Furthermore, its occurrence presents a high risk of developing osteomyelitis or sepsis, in addition to potentiating bleeding that is aggravated by the use of anticoagulants in the COVID-19 treatment (3) . 

Prone positioning as an emerging tool in the care provided to patients infected with COVID-19: a scoping review

Prone Position Effects in the Treatment of Covid-19 Patients

Prone position pressure sores in the COVID-19 pandemic: The Madrid experience

Pressure Injury Prevention in COVID-19 Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Achieving superficial femoral venous access in a critically ill COVID-19 patient in the prone position