Pressure sores common after hip operations

We report the incidence of pressure sores in patients operated on for hip fracture or with total hip replacement. Pressure sores were found in 30 and 4 per cent, respectively. Half of the sores appeared within 1 week postoperatively, and more than half healed in the hospital. Most of the sores were found in patients over 80 years of age.

No relation was found between pressure sores and smoking, diabetes mellitus, low hemoglobin, and poor state of nutrition. Patients with pressure sores stayed in the hospital longer and were often discharged to nursing homes.