- January 22, 2025
The risk of decubitus ulcers is greatest for bedridden patients who stay too long in a lying or sitting position. Longer immobilization puts pressure on the body to prevent blood flow. Ischemia causes tissue necrosis, i.e. death, which results in painful wounds on the body. Treatment consists mainly in the use of special dressings on bedsores, and in the most advanced stage of their operation or bio-surgery is performed.
Places which are particularly susceptible to decubitus ulcers are the area of the tail and sacrum, as well as the buttocks, hips and heel. Sometimes wounds also appear on the knees and shoulders. In the prevention of decubitus ulcers a special decubitus ulcer mattress is used, which prevents the formation of wounds on the body in people moving in a limited way or permanently immobilized in the bed.
In clinical practice there are 5 basic stages of decubitus ulcers' advancement. The first 3 degrees are: slight fading reddening, non fading erythema and wounds with swelling filled with red granules. They are treated with special dressings for bedsores, e.g. polyurethane membranes, alginate dressings, polyurethane sponges and hydrogels. Modern antiseptic compresses are semi-permeable, so they maintain humidity and temperature close to human body temperature. The dressings do not adhere to the wound, remove excess secretion and allow air to flow freely.
Deep decubitus ulcers (4th and 5th degree) occur when damage to the body reaches subcutaneous tissue, joints or bones. In the wounds there is already black necrosis. In the treatment of decubitus ulcers the most important thing is to remove dead tissues in order to prevent the spread of infection and to give conditions for wound healing. One way is surgery. It consists in cutting out tissues infected with necrosis. Bio-surgery, which uses Lucilia sericata fly larvae that feed on dead tissues, is also a method of purifying decubitus ulcer wounds.
Balsam, cream and bedsores ointment work well in the initial stage of skin lesions on the body. The preparations improve the appearance of the skin and are most often used on body parts, which may be exposed to the formation of decubitus ulcer wounds. The lubricated area on the skin should be lightly massaged, which will improve blood circulation.
