The purpose of this study was to identify the influencing factors on the development of pressure ulcers in patients undergoing surgery which lasted more than two hours.

One hundred nineteen surgical adult patients were included in the study. Data was measured on each participant from December 2003 to February 2004. It was collected using a structured researcher-administered sheet and analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test and logistic regression analysis.

The prevalence of a perioperative pressure ulcer was 26.1%. The level of moisture, friction and shear, length of surgery, and perioperative irrigation were significantly higher in the pressure ulcer group than those in the non-pressure ulcer group. The level of activity and level of consciousness were significantly lower in the pressure ulcer group than those in the non-pressure ulcer group. Significant influencing factors on the development of pressure ulcer were ‘ moisture’ and 'irrigation' and those variables explained 23.1% of varience in the development of a pressure ulcer during surgery.

It is necessary to develop a strategy to prevent pressure ulcer by taking ‘ moisture' and 'irrigation' into account during the preoperative, perioperative and postoperative period.