Comparison of Extubation of Patients in Prone versus Supine Position in workers Undergoing Lumbar Disc Surgery

This study compared the extubation of patients in prone versus supine positions in patients undergoing lumbar disc surgery.

In this single-blind clinical trial, 60 patients who were candidates for elective lumbar disc surgery were selected and randomly assigned into two groups of 30 patients. All patients primarily underwent surgery in the prone position. After surgery and discontinuation of anesthesia gases (T0), patients were assigned into two groups, prone and supine. From T0 to extubation time, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, Spo2, cough severity, and secondary complications after extubation such as laryngospasm and shortness of breath were measured and recorded in both groups. 

The results showed that in all the variables under study, the supine group had higher values than the prone group. There was a significant difference in oxygen pressure between the two groups, and the prone group had a more suitable status than the supine group (P=0.02). The incidence of cough was higher in the supine group compared to the prone group, and the observed difference was significant (P=0.001).

Based on the findings of this study, maintaining the prone position after lumbar disc surgery for extubation causes the patient to be less affected by the change of position and is in a superior status in terms of coughing and oxygen pressure.