Pressure Injuries & Neuro ulcers Flashcards
What is a pressure injury?
- localized area of tissue necrosis that develops when soft tissue is compressed between a firm surface and underlying bony prominence
What is the inverse pressure-time relationship?
increased pressure = decreased time for injury
What do individual hemodynamic factors do for healing time?
impacts the time it takes for injury to heal
- increases it
What patients experience the most pressure injuries?
- bed-bound individuals
- pts with improperly fitted casts or splints
- pts who sit for prolonged periods
- neonates
What are some major risk factors for pressure injuries?
- pressure time relationship
- shear and friction
- moisture
- impaired mobility
- malnutrition
- impaired sensation
- advanced age (>62)
- history of previous pressure injury
What is the major concept to treating pressure injuries?
PREVENTION
What is the pain like for a pressure injury?
- painful/tender
- no pain if SCI, peripheral neuropathy, sedation
What is the position of pressure injuries?
- over bony prominences
- areas of outside pressure (casts, IV/catheter tubing, shoes)
What is the presentation of pressure injuries?
- descriptors per NPUAP injury classification
- stage 1-4, unstageable
How is the periwound and extrinsic tissues of pressure injuries?
- surrounded by ring of erythema
- localized warmth
- fibrosis and induration
- dermatitis common
How are the pulses with pressure injuries?
- normal unless concomitant arterial disease in the foot
What is the temperature like in pressure injuries?
- usually warm if reactive hyperemia
- usually cold if an area of ischemia
what scale is used most for classifying pressure injuries?
NPUAP pressure injury staging system
What is the criteria for a stage 1 pressure injury?
- nonbanchable erythema of intact skin
- area may be painful, warmer, cooler, firmer, and softer
What is the criteria for a stage 2 pressure injury?
- superficial ulcer that presents as a shallow crater w/o slough, eschar, or bruising
What is the criteria for a stage 3 pressure injury?
- deep ulcer that presents as a deep crater; may have undermining or tunneling
What is the criteria for a stage 4 pressure injury?
- deep ulcer with extensive necrosis; often has undermining or sinus tracts
- often showing underlying tendon/bone
What is the criteria for an unstageable pressure injury?
- the base of the pressure injury is obscured by eschar or slough
What is the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing? (PUSH)
- for healing potential
- takes <5 minutes after training
- score 8-24(higher score = more severe ulcer)
- 3 subscales (surface area, exudate amount, wound appearance)
What are the 5 components to preventing pressure ulcers?
- education
- positioning
- mobility
- nutrition
- management of incontinence
How should patients be positioned to prevent pressure ulcers?
- at risk patients should be positioned at a 30 degree angle
- use pillows and foam pads
- head of bed should be at lowest degree of elevation
- bed linens should be free of wrinkles
- remove lift sheets and slings when finished lifting patient
What kind of mobility should be used when preventing pressure injuries?
- Lift, shift, lower do not drag
- linens loose enough so patient can move
- PT to assist with mobility
What does NO ULCERS SKIN mean?
Nutrition and fluid status
Observe the skin
Up and walking or assist position changes
Lift don’t drag
Clean skin and continence care
Elevate heels
Risk assessment
Support surfaces
Surface selection
Keep turning
Incontinence management
Nutrition
What are some risk management factors to prevent pressure injuries?
- hyperglycemia
- anemia
- malnutrition
- incontinence
What is the prognosis of pressure injuries?
Heal very slow
Expected healing time:
- stage 1: 1-3 weeks
- stage 2: averages 23 days
- stage 3-4: 8-13 weeks
full-thickness injuries more likely to be infected which increases healing time
- should be reassessed if injuries do not decrease in size w/in 2 weeks
What are some PT management techniques for pressure injuries?
Coordinate care with other practitioners:
- wound care nurses
- vascular (foot wounds)
- surgeons
- dietician
Address underlying etiology & risk factors
Education
What is the goal of local wound care?
- create warm, moist, granular wound bed with healthy surrounding tissue to promote wound closure
- protect surrounding tissue from chapping/chafing, excessive moisture, and strong adhesives
- debride necrotic tissue
- treat infection if present
- address cause of pressure injury
What are some PT interventions for preventing pressure injuries?
- functional mobility training
- pelvic floor exercises for incontinence
- aerobic exercise (increases BF)
- strength training to promote mobility
- Remind staff to lift vs slide
- pressure relieving devices/recommendations
- wound management
- biophysical agents (e-stim, UV, US)
What are some pressure relief mandates?
takes 2 full minutes of pressure relief to re-perfuse tissue
Sitting:
- every 10-15 minutes adjust
- cushions/recliners
In bed:
- reposition at least every 2 hours
- float the heels
- support surfaces
Should you debride stable, hard, dry, eschar-covered wounds in ischemic limbs?
NO
- leave it, let it do its thing