PURPOSE To explore the context of incidence of and associated risk factors for pressure ulcers amongst the population of surgical patients. METHODS The initial study cohort was conducted with a total of 297 patients admitted to a teaching hospital for a surgical operation from November 14th to 27th 2006 in Taipei, Taiwan. The Braden scale, pressure ulcers record sheet, and perioperative patie...

Patients with limited mobility due to physical or cognitive impairment are at risk of pressure ulcers. Primary care physicians should examine at-risk patients because pressure ulcers are often missed in inpatient, outpatient, and long-term care settings. High-risk patients should use advanced static support surfaces to prevent pressure ulcers and air-fluidized beds to treat pressure ulcers. Phy...

Pressure ulcers are localized skin injuries secondary to unrelieved pressure or friction. Patients with immobility issues are at increased risk for developing pressure ulcers. In 2004, stricter federal regulations for prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in institutional settings--eg, long-term care facilities--were introduced. Effective, low-cost treatments for pressure ulcers are neede...

Acutely ill and immobilized neonates and children are at risk for pressure ulcers, but a paucity of evidence-based research exists on which to base guidelines for clinical practice. Most prevention and treatment protocols for pressure ulcers in the pediatric population are extrapolated from adult practice. Clinical practice guidelines for prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers that specifi...

This article examines the causes of pressure ulcers and provides an overview of the best advice available in preventing them in the clinical setting. This should enable nurses to provide more effective interventions for preventing patients from developing pressure ulcers.

The neurosurgery division in University College Hospital (U.C.H.) admits approximately one traumatic spinal cord injured (SCI) patient per week, most of whom stay a minimum of 42 days on admission. A common complication in these patients is the development of pressure ulcers, which contributes to a longer hospital stay and increased hospital expenses. The purpose of this study was to investigat...

OBJECTIVES The cost-effectiveness of alternating pressure-relieving devices, mattress replacements, and mattress overlays compared with a standard hospital (high-specification foam mattress) for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in hospital patients in the United Kingdom was investigated. METHODS A decision-analytic model was constructed to evaluate different strategies to preve...

Pressure ulcers continue to be a significant problem for patients and healthcare facilities. Since 1989, results from the International Pressure Ulcer Prevalence surveys--observational, cross-sectional cohort studies--conducted by Hill-Rom, Batesville, Ind, have been used to document aggregate prevalence rates and provide acute care, long-term acute care, and long-term care facilities with inte...

Differential assessment of trunk wounds is a critical element of their effective management. In reviewing the pathology and typical presentation for pressure necrosis, IAD, and ITD, four factors provide guidance in differential assessment: location, depth, characteristics, and exposure. Pressure ulcers are full-thickness lesions located over bony prominences or under medical devices. IAD and IT...