Pedicled deltoid hatchet flap for treatment of pressure sore at the shoulder

Whereas decubitus ulcer in the back or hip region is a common entity in plegic or elderly patients, the occurrence in the lateral shoulder region is seldom seen. However, resulting from continuous lateral decubitus positioning or limited compliance by the patient, pressure sores may occur in almost any region of the body, but predominately, they arise in acral zones with underlying bone prominences. The deltoid area is such an anatomically critical region, especially if the underlying deltoid muscle is paralyzed. The transposition of a pedicled deltoid flap, slightly modified as a hatchet flap, is described for cover of a decubitus ulcer in the deltoid region in a paraplegic male. Although utilization of the deltoid flap as a free flap is an established procedure for selected indications [Russell et al. (1985) Extremity reconstruction using the free deltoid flap. Plast Reconstr Surg 76:586–595, Serafin D (1996) The deltoid flap. In: Serafin D (ed) Atlas of microsurgical composite tissue transplantation, chapter 19. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA, pp 153–159, Wang et al. (2003) The free deltoid flap: microscopic anatomy studies and clinical application to oral cavity reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg 112:404–411], transposition as a pedicled flap, to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously described in the available literature.     

Randomized clinical trial of ascorbic acid in the treatment of pressure ulcers

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of ascorbic acid supplementation, 500 mg twice daily in the treatment of pressure ulcers as an adjunct to standardized treatment.

The design consisted of a multicenter blinded randomized trial. The control group received 10 mg of ascorbic acid twice daily.

Patients from 11 nursing homes and 1 hospital participated.

Main outcome measures included wound survival, healing rates of wound surfaces, and clinimetric changes over 12 weeks.

Eighty-eight patients were randomized. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that the wound closure probability per unit time (i.e., the closure rate) was not higher in the intervention group than in the control group (Cox hazard ratio of 0.78 [90% precision interval, 0.44–1.39]). Mean absolute healing rates were 0.21 and 0.27 cm²/week in the intervention and control group, respectively (PI of the adjusted difference: −0.17 to 0.13). Relative healing rates and healing velocities did not show favorable results of ascorbic acid supplementation, either. A panel scored slides of the ulcers with a report mark between 1 (bad) and 10 (excellent). The improvement was 0.45 and 0.72 points per week in the intervention and control group, respectively (PI of the adjusted difference: −0.50 to 0.20). With another clinimetric index we could not show any differences, either.

These data do not support the idea that ascorbic acid supplementation (500 vs. 10 mg twice daily) speeds up the healing of pressure ulcers.     

The association between obesity and pressure ulcer development in critically ill patients: A prospective cohort study

BackgroundPressure ulcers (PUs) are one of the leading potentially preventable adverse events in the hospital. Critically ill patients are at risk for the development of PUs. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the relation of PUs and obesity in critically ill ICU patients.MethodsA single center prospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients with obesity (defined as a body mass index BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) and patients without obesity (BMI 18?25 kg/m²) admitted to the intensive care unit between May 2013 and July 2017 with an ICU length of stay of at least 3 days without pre-existing PUs at admission.Results851 of 1205 patients (70.6%) had a normal BMI and 354 (29.4%) had a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² and were considered obese. Overall, 157 patients (13.0%) developed PUs; 112/851 (13.2%) of patients without obesity and 45/354 (12.7%) of patients with obesity (p = 0.907). There was no difference in the severity (p = 0.609) and PU location (p = 0.261). Mean days to PU development was 11.1; 11.7 days for patients without obesity and 9.5 days for patients with obesity (p = 0.270). Mean days to PU recovery was 13.2, which was 14.1 days for patients without obesity and 10.8 days for patients with obesity (p = 0.215). A multivariate logistic regression model showed no significant correlation between the occurrence of PUs in the ICU and obesity (OR 0.875 with 95% CI 0.528–1.448, p = 0.594). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²) developed PUs earlier during ICU admission when compared to patients without obesity (p = 0.004).ConclusionOur study demonstrates that obesity is not an independent risk factor for the development of PUs in the ICU. However, patients with morbid obesity might develop PUs earlier compared to patients without obesity.     

Prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers/injuries: The protocol for the second update of the international Clinical Practice Guideline 2019

Aim

The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance, and the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel are updating the ‘Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guideline’ (CPG) in 2019. The aim of this contribution is to summarize and to discuss the guideline development protocol for the 2019 update.

The false premise in measuring body-support interface pressures for preventing serious pressure ulcers

Presently, commercial cushioning products for pressure ulcer prevention are being evaluated for their protective effect exclusively based on interfacial pressures between the cushion/mattress and the patient. However, interface pressures cannot predict elevated mechanical stresses in deep tissues adjacent to bony prominences. Such deep tissue stress concentrations are associated with local ischaemia and hypoxia, which over time result in deep tissue necrosis, particularly of muscle tissue. In order to demonstrate this phenomenon, a physical phantom of the mechanical interaction between the ischial tuberosities (IT) and gluteus muscles of the buttocks was built, incorporating geometric replica of the human IT and real (bovine) muscle tissue. Internal muscle stresses directly under the IT were five to 11-fold greater than stresses at more distal locations, and a Pearson correlation test showed that they could not have been predicted from the interface pressures in the phantom. Accordingly, though pressure ulcer prevention clinics which utilize routine sitting pressure measurements report effective outcomes, the present results highlight a problem in using body-support pressure measurements to predict the risk for pressure-related deep tissue injury.     

The operative treatment of pressure sores in the pelvic region: A 10-year period overview

Context

Pelvic region pressure sores often develop following spinal cord injury. Surgery is often necessary for long standing, large-sized pressure sores not responding to conservative treatment. Authors analyze their results of a 10-year period, and identify factors contributing to the reduction of the recurrence rate.

Methods

A total of 119 pressure sores were operated on 98 patients in two institutions during a 10-year period (1 January 2003 to 31 December 2012). The encountered perioperative complications are summarized, and the recurrence rate is analyzed with a patient follow-up questionnaire.

Results

We experienced 15 perioperative complications (12.6%). All complications were fully resolved by conservative treatment. Fifty-eight returned patient replies were processed. The average follow-up time after surgery was 5.2 years. The recurrence rate was 5.47%.

Conclusion

The strict adherence to surgical indications, full patient compliance, specialized pre- and post-operative patient care, our routinely used preferred surgical method, all contribute to a low post-operative complication rate, long-term flap survival, and an extended recurrence free period.     

Sitting Pressure and Perfusion of Buttock Skin in Paraplegic and Tetraplegic Patients,and in Healthy Subjects: A Comparative Study

The distribution of sitting pressure and ability to respond with reactive hyperaemia were studied in a group of paraplegic and tetraplegic patients ( n = 8) with spinal cord lesions and healthy controls ( n = 10) using a pressure sensitive plate and laser Doppler perfusion imager. The results show that the mean sitting pressure of the patients was 9.9 N/cm 2 (left) and 11.7 N/cm 2 (right) compared with 3.5 N/cm 2 controls. The differences were significant on both the left ( p < 0.01) and right ( p < 0.05) sides. The maximum pressure in patients was 42.9 N/cm 2 (left) and 48.7 N/cm 2 (right), and in controls ( p < 0.01). Both groups showed a reduction in skin perfusion in the seat area during sitting compared with unloaded resting, and in the controls it was significantly increased ( p < 0.001 on both sides) during the reactive hyperaemic phase immediately after sitting. Compared with the preload values, the patients showed a similar but slightly weaker picture significant on the right side ( p < 0.05), but not on the left. The hyperaemia was not uniformly distributed, but occurred where the pressure was greater than 2 N/cm 2 . There was no correlation between the amount of reactive hyperaemia and absolute values of sitting pressures. We conclude that tetraplegic and paraplegic patients have significantly higher sitting pressures than normal controls, and that the hyperaemic response in the buttock region in the upright position after pressure load is slightly weaker in the patients, which could be of importance for the development of decubitus ulcers.     

Hemicorporectomy: back to front

Hemicorporectomy involves amputation of the pelvis and lower extremities by disarticulation through the lumbar spine with concomitant transection of the aorta, inferior vena cava, and spinal cord, as well as creation of conduits for diversion of the urinary and fecal streams. A review of the literature reveals that the surgical technique has been relatively unchanged since 1960. The standard anterior to posterior approach is associated with significant blood loss and morbidity, likely contributing to lengthy hospital stay. Herein, we describe our back-to-front approach to hemicorporectomy, involving early division of the vertebral structures and spinal cord, pre-empting engorgement of Batson's plexus, thus minimizing blood loss. In addition, this approach greatly improves exposure of the pelvic vessels, allowing for a technically less challenging and safer procedure.     

Prevention, treatment and healing of pressure sores in long-term care patients

ABSTRACT Of 515 consecutive patients newly admitted to the long-term medical ward, 16% already had skin lesions which were classified as pressure sores upon arrival in the ward, and 7.6% developed pressure sores during the observation period which was more than three days but not more than 26 weeks. The relation between the condition of the patient and the development of pressure sores and their prevention and treatment was followed with a modified Norton scale. Proportionally more sores progressed which were initially recorded as skin discoloration as compared with the other stages, i.e. epithelial damage, damage to the full thickness of the skin and lesion with a cavity. Preventive measures were not used to a greater extent in those patients who developed pressure sores as compared with those who did not. Preventive measures were used rather as treatment or secondary prevention after a patient had already developed a lesion. The treatment measures were used in many different combinations. In this study no healing effect could be proved for the various treatment measures which were undertaken.