Journal of Clinical Case Reports

An Innovative Approach to the Positioning of Morbidly Obese Patients for Gynaecologic Surgery

Abstract

Melissa Duignan, Stanley Frye and Ashlee Linn Smith

Proper patient positioning is becoming increasingly difficult as the national BMI continues to rise. Gynecologic surgery often requires patients to be in lithotomy position for adequate visualization and access, which can increase the risk of femoral nerve injury. Herein, we describe the first case of using Hoyer Lifts ® intra-operatively for proper leg positioning of a morbidly obese patient. This is the first reported case using Hoyer Lifts ® for positioning the lower extremities of a morbidly obese patient during gynecologic surgery. Using a lift for each leg, we were able to accommodate both lower extremities and prevent neurologic injury. Such lifts provide an additional approach to positioning extreme morbidly obese patients.