Trendelenburg position

Trendelenburg position

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Not to be confused with Trendelenburg's sign.

Old depiction of the Trendelenburg position

Trendelenburg position In Surgery

In the Trendelenburg position, the body is laid flat on the back with the feet higher than the head by 15-30 degrees, in contrast to the reverse Trendelenburg position, where the body is tilted in the opposite direction. The Trendelenburg position is used frequently in surgery, especially of the abdomen and genitourinary system. It allows better access to the pelvic organs as gravity pulls the intra-abdominal organs away from the pelvis. The position was named for the German surgeon Friedrich Trendelenburg (1844 – 1924).^[1] Despite the lack of evidence to support it, the Trendelenburg position is often used for patients in hypovolemic shock, with the goal of maintaining blood flow to the brain.^[2]