Pressure Sores

Question 1

What are RF for pressure sores?

Answer 1

1. Hospital inpatients
2. Live in care facilities
3. Older people
4. All patient with limited mobility or impaired sensation
5. Malnutrition

Question 2

Where are pressure sores usually found on body?

Answer 2

over bony prominence

Question 3

What are characteristic of pressure sores?

Answer 3

• Small superficial lesions

- Extensive wounds with bony involvement that contain a mass of necrotic tissue

Question 4

What are symptoms and signs of pressure sores?

Answer 4

1. Use of non-pressure-relieving support surface
2. Localised skin changes on areas subjected to pressure
3. Shallow open wound or tissue loss on areas subjected to pressure
4. Localised tenderness and warmth around area of wound
5. Increased exudate

Question 5

What are possible DDx of pressure sores?

Answer 5

1. Moisture associated dermatitis
2. Venous ulcers
3. Arterial ulcers
4. Diabetic neuropathy
5. Pyoderma gangrenosum
6. Osteomyelitis

Question 6

What is the management of pressure sores?

Answer 6

1st line: pressure-reducing aids + repositions 
-Hygiene and cleaning + dressing
Analgesia
-Dietary optimisation 
-Debridement if appropriate

Question 7

What investigations are used for pressure sore?

Answer 7

clinical diagnosis (Consider wound swab, ESR and CRP)

Question 8

What are possible complications of pressure sores?

Answer 8

1. Sepsis
2. Cellulitis
3. Osteomyelitis
4. Mortality

Question 9

What are pressure sores?

Answer 9

Localised damage to skin/soft tissue over bony prominences due to prolonged pressure