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more_legal_areas nursing_homePatients who develop pressure ulcers may view them merely as a nuisance, but they are serious and potentially deadly injuries to the body. Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores or decubitus ulcers, occur when the skin is subjected to unrelieved pressure. Pressure ulcers can range from mild, with only a minor darkening of the skin, to severe, where a crater forms through skin, muscle and bone tissues. The formation of pressure ulcers is due to tissue death caused by the pressure on small blood vessels that cuts off the supply of oxygen and other nutrients.
Patients who are immobilized or confined to a bed, chair, or wheelchair for long periods of time can develop pressure ulcers, especially if they have lost their mobility. Other factors that increase the risk that an individual will develop pressure ulcers include lowered mental awareness, loss of bowel and bladder control, and poor nutrition. The greater the risk that a patient will develop pressure ulcers, the more the vigilance on the part of caregivers should increase-prevention of pressure ulcers is often easier than treating them after the fact.
Monitoring a patient for signs of pressure ulcers and preventing their development is a daily task. The skin should be inspected at least once a day for the reddening of the skin that indicates potential pressure ulcers, any soiled areas of the skin should be cleaned immediately, and surface moisture should be kept to a minimum, especially following baths or showers. Pressure ulcers can also be prevented through the use of good nutrition. Eating properly and staying hydrated provides nourishment for the skin tissues and improves circulation.
The risks associated with pressure ulcers include sepsis, a blood infection that is frequently lethal. For patients and their loved ones, the development of pressure ulcers may be an indication of substandard medical care. Even absent problems such as sepsis and gangrene, pressure ulcers are extremely painful and unsightly, and can cause deep scarring and permanent tissue damage. To learn more about pressure ulcers and your legal rights, you may wish to contact an attorney who has experience representing patients with pressure ulcers and their families.
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