pressure ulcers
a preventable injury!
| Etiology | pressure over area of bony protrusion - heels, sacrum, greater trochanters. Waterlow score not validated in critical care. |
| Epidemiology | M>F. Other risk factors: smoker, low BMI, impaired mobility (so, like ICU patients), fever, incontinence |
| Clinical presentation | |
| Pathogenesis | ↓ perfusion → tissue necrosis |
| Diagnostic investigations | Only to exclude alternative causes. |
| Management | Poor evidence for many interventions. Good skin care - clean and dry Padding Minimise sedation Promote healing Exudate management Debridement |
Risk factors
- pressure/shear
- poor padding/protrusions
- poor perfusion
- poor healing