The Truth about Decubitus Ulcers
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Transcript The Truth about Decubitus Ulcers
The Truth about
Decubitus
Ulcers
Created By: Kelsey Peck
What is a decubitus ulcer?
A decubitus ulcer, also commonly known as a bedsore
comes about from lying in one position for too long.
This prevents circulation from getting to your skin,
causing pressure.
This in turn, causes a decubitus ulcer.
http://trialx.com/curetalk/wpcontent/blogs.dir/7/files/2011/05/
diseases/Pressure_Ulcer-2.gif
Who is at risk for Decubitus Ulcers?
o
It is most common to see
elderly people in nursing
homes get decubitus
ulcers, due to the fact
that they lay in a bed
practically all day or sit in
the same position daily.
Smokers (dries out skin
and reduces the blood
flow to skin)
Anorexic people (less
padding on their bones
and it can injure more
easily and take longer to
heal)
http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscie
nce/files/2010/04/elderly-940x626.jpg
http://patreiz.files.wordpress.com/2011/0
2/child-malnutrition.jpg
What causes Decubitus Ulcers?
Malnutrition
Improper skin care
Being Incontinent
Friction
Failure to move a patient frequently (in a nursing
home)
Failure to exercise
http://madhusameer.files.wordpr
ess.com/2010/10/anorexia-3.jpg
Common Homes for Decubitus
Ulcers
Hips (laying on your side)
Tailbones (laying on your back)
Shoulders (laying on your side or resting your
shoulders on the back of a wheelchair)
Backs of arms or legs (Leaning on the
wheelchair)
Back or side of head(Laying on your back or
laying on your side)
Stage 1
Stage 1 Symptoms
Skin is intact.
Skin may be red on a paler
person.
Skin may appear bluish on
darker skinned people.
The skin that is affected may
be more painful, warmer,
softer, or cooler than the
surrounding skin.
http://img.thebody.com/legacyAssets/40/74/P2
5-1.gif
Stage 2 Symptoms
Stage 2-Open
wound
The epidermis (outer layer
of skin) and the dermis
(underlying layer of skin)
are both damaged or lost.
May appear as a shallow,
pinkish-red, basin-like
wound
May appear as a ruptured
fluid-filled blister
http://img.thebody.com/legacyAssets/40/
74/P25-2.gif
Stage 3 Symptoms
Stage 3-Deep wound
Fat is exposed due
to the loss of skin
Crater-like in
appearance
Bottom of ulcer
has some yellowish
colored dead
tissue
http://img.thebody.com/legacyAssets/40
/74/P25-3.gif
Stage 4 Symptoms
Stage 4-Large Scale
loss of tissue
May expose bone, muscle,
or tendons
The bottom of the ulcer
contains yellowish or dark
colored dead tissue that is
crusty
http://www.eczemaanswers.com/images/bed_sores2.jpg
Treating Decubitus ulcers
Relieve the pressure that caused the sore to
start with
Remove the damaged tissue
Reposition the person
Use support surfaces such as pillows and mattresses to help the
person lie in an appropriate position
Surgical Debridement: removing dead tissue surgically
Mechanical Debridement: removing dead tissue using things such as
a whirlpool
Autolytic Debridement- the body’s natural way of removing dead
tissue
Enzymatic Debridement-removing dead tissue using chemical
enzymes
Clean and dress the wound regularly
The way you dress and clean the wound depends on what stage is it
in.
Other ways to treat decubitus
ulcers
•
Antibiotics
•
Healthy diet
•
Muscle relaxants
If your decubitus
ulcers do not heal
after taking the
treatment measures
just mentioned, your
doctor may give you
muscle relaxants,
antibiotics, or tell you
to go on a healthy
diet to help treat
your ulcers.
How to prevent Decubitus
Ulcers from forming again?
Keeping your skin clean
and dry prevents
moisture.
Changing position every
two hours prevents you
from putting pressure on
one spot for too long.
Using pillows and other
products can help
prevent sores by being
a cushion for your body.
Keeping skin clean and dry
Changing position every
two hours
Using pillows and products
that relieve pressure
Facts/Statistics
In
2010, pressure ulcers were the primary
diagnosis in approximately 45,000 hospital
admissions.
Pressure
ulcers were a secondary
diagnosis in about 457,800 hospital
admissions last year.
The
primary diagnoses left 1 dead in every
25 patients.
The
secondary diagnoses left 1 dead in
every 8 patients.
Works Cited
http://www.nursing-home-abuseresource.com/care_center/decubitus-causes.html
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/190115overview
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedsores/DS00570/
DSECTION=symptoms
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedsores/DS00570/
DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
http://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-prevent-pressuresores.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6366/is_3_21/ai_
n31950894/