Patient's Hip Fractured From Lithotomy Position During Prolonged Surgical Procedure

Case Overview

This case involves a woman who underwent a hysterectomy procedure that lasted more than four hours. The patient was placed in the lithotomy position for the entire duration of the procedure. The improper placement of the patient in the stirrups, however, resulted in a fracture to her hip.

Questions to the Nursing expert and their responses

What is your experience with cases involving the lithotomy position?

I am an obstetrics board certified nurse and have been practicing for over twenty years as a maternal child nurse. I have significant experience in the OR involving the lithotomy positioning device. I also have a background in healthcare quality and protocol compliance. This would be helpful in determining if the patient was left in the position for a period beyond what would be the accepted standard of care.

About the expert

This qualified expert is a women's health and adult nurse practitioner certified in critical care, and has previously assumed a managerial nursing position. She has also published in her field.