New Perspectives in the Treatment of Decubitus Ulcers

Abstract

Although the consequences of prolonged lying on a hard surface are as old as the human race, publications on this subject are scarce. This is due to the fact that a decubitus ulcer never occurs in isolation but is nearly always a complication of some other condition. The term “decubitus” was already used by Hildnaus in 1590 and is derived from the Latin word decumbere which means “lying down” (1). The most important fact to keep in mind is that pressure sores can be prevented. This is the reason why this article not only discusses the management of pressure sores but also the importance of preventive measures. The basis of effective treatment is early detection and an adequate knowledge of the fundamental pathological process. Only adequate preventive measures, careful examination of the lesions, and a thorough knowledge of the products used can avoid unnecessary suffering by patients.

Prevalence and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers in Northern New South Wales

“…For nurses, who are responsible for the day‐to‐day care of patients, the prevention and treatment of pressure sores occupies significant amounts of time and remains an important area of concern. 1–3 Previous research reveals that the incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers remains a significant problem in Western countries. 1,4,5 The prevalence of pressure ulcers is difficult to quantify because incidence and cure rates vary with the type of health institution and because the criteria used to define pressure sores vary between researchers.…”

Norton, Waterlow and Braden scores: a review of the literature and a comparison between the scores and clinical judgement

“…The same year James Paget gave advice on how to treat them that was surprisingly similar to modern ideas, advocating diet as being crucial (Paget 1873), though his prescription of restricting meat and giving a little wine would be seen as suboptimal today. However, there are earlier references; PUs were described in the sixteenth century by Pare (Levine 1992) and Fabricus (Torrance 1983); Hildnaus used term decubitus in 1590 (Guggisberg et al. 1992); they have even been seen in Egyptian mummies (Torrance 1983).…”

“Beauty Is Only Skin Deep”: Prevalence of Dermatologic Disease on a Palliative Care Unit

“…Cherny et al determined the symptom prevalence of 104 consecutive patients attending an oncology and palliative medicine day hospital, and reported that 21% of patients were symptomatic secondary to skin changes. 1 Current palliative care literature is mostly devoted to wound care, [2][3][4][5] with little research into the prevalence or incidence of skin diseases in the terminally ill. Two separate studies, by Pereira et al 6 and Vitetta et al, 7 reported the prevalence of all infections, including skin infections, and accompanying antibiotic usage in patients in a tertiary center palliative care unit.…”