Pressure ulcer

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Areas where bedsores occur

Progression of a decubitis ulcer

Bedsore; Decubitus ulcer

• Relieve the pressure on that area. Use pillows, special foam cushions, and sheepskin to reduce the pressure.
• Treat the sore based on the stage of the ulcer. Your health care provider will give you specific treatment and care instructions.
• Avoid further trauma or friction. Powder the sheets lightly to decrease friction in bed. (There are many items made specifically for this purpose -- check a medical supplies store.)
• Improve nutrition and other underlying problems that may affect the healing process.
• If the pressure ulcer is at Stage II or worse, your health care provider will give you specific instructions on how to clean and care for open ulcers. It is very important to do this properly to prevent infection.
• Keep the area clean and free of dead tissue. Your health care provider will give you specific care directions. Generally, pressure ulcers are rinsed with a salt-water rinse to remove loose, dead tissue. The sore should be covered with special gauze dressing made for pressure ulcers.

• Do NOT massage the area of the ulcer. Massage can damage tissue under the skin.
• Donut-shaped or ring-shaped cushions are NOT recommended. They interfere with blood flow to that area and cause complications.

Contact your health care provider if an area of the skin blisters or forms an open sore. Contact the provider immediately if there are any signs of an infection. An infection can spread to the rest of the body and cause serious problems. Signs of an infected ulcer include:

• A foul odor from the ulcer
• Redness and tenderness around the ulcer
• Skin close to the ulcer is warm and swollen

Fever, weakness, and confusion are signs that the infection may have spread to the blood or elsewhere in the body.

Review Date: 10/17/2005
Reviewed By: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.