Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF) – Olecranon

Anesthesia Implications

Position: Prone, arms extended and flexed (“superman”), Bed turned 90 degrees
Time: 1-2 hours (average)
Blood Loss: Very Low (5-10 ml)
Post-op Pain: Moderate (3-6)
Maintenance Paralytic: No
Lead: Yes
Tourniquet Use: Yes

Prone Position (general considerations): Maintain cervical neutrality. Keep IV’s out of the antecubital space. The patients arms are typically flexed, which will kink the IV. Eye protection should be used as the prone position heightens the risk of corneal abrasion and/or traction on the globe (which can result in blindness). Check the patients eyes/ears/nose regularly throughout the case to ensure they are free of pressure. Positioning of the leads is typically high on the posterior and posterolateral back (somewhere free of pressure and out of surgical borders). Keep your connections and tubing where you’ll have fast access.

Fluoroscopy / Xray (general considerations): Have lead aprons and thyroid shields available. Alternatively, distancing yourself 3 to 6 feet will reduce scatter radiation to 0.1% to 0.025% respectively. Occupational maximum exposure to radiation should be limited to a maximum average of 20 Sv (joules per kilogram – otherwise known as the Sievert/Sv) per year over a 5 year period. Limits should never exceed 50 Sv in a single year.

Tourniquet (general considerations): Antibiotics should be administered prior to tourniquet inflation. Tourniquet pain usually begins 45-60 minutes after inflation and is unresponsive to regional anesthesia and analgesics. Upper extremity pressure should be set to approximately 70-90 mmHg above systolic blood pressure (SBP). Lower extremity tourniquet pressure should be set to approximately 2 times SBP. Upon tourniquet release, there will be increases in End-tidal CO2 and metabolic acidosis, while decreases will be seen in core body temperature, blood pressure, and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2)