Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 1/2008

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DECUBITUS ULCERS

Management of pressure ulcers and wounds (decubitus) in nursing care si an important issue. There are demanded well skilled care and methods performed in systematic way. Pressure sore is a local ischemic lesion or even necrosis on skin, deeper laying tissues and muscles. The surface skin areas are damaged at first, later also deep subcutaneous tissue layers close to bone. The most important factors in the development of tissue lesion are local impairment of blood flow, deprivation of oxygen nad essentials nutrients and excessive cumulation of toxic metabolic products. The common sites of predilection for forming of decubitus ulcers are sacral region, the ischial bones, the heals, the elbows, the shoulder-blades, the occipital bone and the great trochanter.

Keywords: decubitus, pressure sore, prevention, treatment.