Skin Ulcer Research Paper

According to, the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP), National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance (PPPIA) classification system (2014) pressure ulcers are categorised into four stages depending on their severity. Stage one: skin still intact with non-blanching, redness with swelling present. Stage two: the skin breaks open or forms a blister without slough and is usually tender or painful. Stage three: pressure sore becomes worse, slough may be present and extends into the tissue beneath the skin where subcutaneous fat may be visible but bone, tendon or muscles are not exposed. Stage four: pressure sore becomes very deep reaching into the muscle or tendon causing extensive damage with necrosis. However, pressure ulcer staging is dependent on visible skin characteristics therefore misclassifying pressure-related injury can remain undetected for days or weeks before a purple discolouration of the skin appears (Mallah, Nassar and Badr, 2014).

A common health concern seen in the elderly, especially those within institutions, are pressure ulcers. A pressure ulcer is defined as a localized injury to the skin or underlying tissue that occurs when something keeps rubbing or pressing against the skin. Pressure on the skin causes a decrease of blood flow to that area and as a result, an ulcer may form because of the skin dying due to the lack of blood in that region. They generally occur over bony prominences such as, the buttock, elbow, hip, heel, back of the head and ankles. An ulcer has a greater chance of forming if the person uses a wheelchair or stays in bed for a long period of

A sixty-five-year-old male presented to the out-patient clinic with two venous stasis ulcers, with the complication of cellulitis on the right lower extremity. The patient informed me that he had been getting recurring sores on his legs over the past several months. At the time of the initial visit, both wounds had 100% adherent yellow slough and the surrounding tissue was red and edematous. His primary risk factors are age, obesity, previous leg injuries, and diabetic

1. Pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores or pressure sores are injuries of the skin and underlying tissue. They appear when the affected area of skin is under too much pressure. Due to the pressure the blood flow is disrupted, the area does not irrigate, therefore nutrients and oxygen do not reach the skin cells. The skin then breaks and pressure ulcers form

Pressure ulcers are one of the most common problems health care facilities often face which causes pain and discomfort for the patient, cost effective to manage and impacts negatively on the hospital (Pieper, Langemo, & Cuddigan, 2009; Padula et al., 2011). The development of pressure ulcers occur when there is injury to the skin or tissue usually over bony prominences such as the coccyx, sacrum or heels from the increase of pressure and shear. This injury will compromise blood flow and result in ischemia due to lack of oxygen being delivered (Gyawali et al., 2011). Patients such as those who are critically ill or bed bounded are at high risk of developing pressure ulcers (O'Brien et

Pressure ulcer develops as a result of the skin that is over bony prominence. The pressure impairs blood flow leading to tissue necrosis and ulceration. Pressure ulcer can develop in several areas of bony prominence of the body such as the sacrum, greater trochanter, ankles, shoulders, head and ischia. It can develop quickly and difficult to treat, it ranges from mild to skin redness to severe tissue damage, development of infection and damage to muscle. Older people are most at risk due to thin and fragile skin,

To start the search for evidence within University Hospital, questions were asked in regards to pressure ulcers. Monthly updates are often sent out via email from the wound care team to keep everyone up to date on knowledge. While there was informative numbers within those updates, this information falls short according to Moore, Webster, & Samuriwo (2015). The main limitation of the study is the lack of a control group in pressure ulcer prevention and treatment. There is no clarity in the specific criterion that contributed to improved clinical outcomes. Teams used more than one method in the research project. Also, there is no study that meant the inclusion criteria in the random clinical trials. The lack of standardized

While nurses encounter patients with pressure ulcers in home care and acute care settings, they are mainly a problem with elderly adults in long term care facilities. This is because of decreased sensory perception, decreased activity and mobility, skin moisture from incontinence, poor nutritional intake, and friction and shear (Stotts and Gunningberg, 2007).

Jane presented with a wound to her lower left leg which, following a holistic assessment (appendix 2), was diagnosed as a venous leg ulcer. The assessment was conducted in accordance with Local PCT Leg Ulcer Guidelines (appendix 3) as well as RCN Guidelines (RCN 2006) to rule out other possible aetiology such as arterial ulceration, diabetes or malignancy (Moloney and Grace 2004). Although traditionally considered uncommon, recent studies suggest that malignant ulcers are more prevalent than previously thought (Miller et al 2003, Taylor 1998) therefore even though initial assessment suggests an uncomplicated venous ulcer, if Jane’s wound fails to heal following appropriate treatment then specialist advice will be sought. Between 17% and 65% of people with a leg ulcer experience severe or continuous pain with a major impact on quality of life (Briggs and Nelson, 2003) and effective pain relief is important to maximise quality of life, to enable mobilisation and improve appetite to facilitate wound healing. Fortunately, Jane experienced no pain from the leg ulcer prior to or at the time of assessment. However, careful review and monitoring of any pain will be important throughout the treatment process as the first line of treatment for uncomplicated venous leg ulcers are compression systems (RCN 2006) and although compression counteracts the harmful effects of venous hypertension and

Today in clinical I experienced how to properly position a patient to prevent the risk of further damage, such as pressure ulcers.

Pressure Ulcer is a breakdown of skin appears on the skin over a very thin or bony prominence

A decubitus ulcer, (more commonly known as a bed sore or a pressure sore) is an open wound that forms on the skin that covers bone. Most decubitus ulcers appear on the ankles, back, hips, and butt. This ulcer is common with those people who are wheelchair bound, elderly and remain seated or still for a long period of time or are unable to move parts of their body without assistance. This is condition is treatable and has high recovery rates if diagnosed properly.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) defines leg ulcer as the loss of skin on the leg below the knee or foot, which takes more than 2 weeks to heal. Venous leg ulceration is due to sustained venous hypertension, which results from chronic venous insufficiency and/or an impaired calf muscle pump. Venous leg ulcers

Bedsores, also called pressure ulcers, are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue (such as muscle) resulting from pressure applied over a prolonged period on the same area of skin. Bedsores most often develop on skin that covers bony areas of the body. Such areas include the heels, ankles, nose, wrists and hips. Bedsores generally effect people with poor blood circulation, but this is not always the case. People most at risk of bedsores are those with a medical condition that limits their ability to change positions or those who spend most of their time in a bed. Examples include;

Heels are the most common site for pressure ulcers, and the most common site of deep tissue injury. The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP, 2007) defines a suspected deep tissue injury as: Purple or maroon localized area of discolored intact skin or blood-filled blister due to damage of underlying soft tissue from pressure and/or shear. The area may be preceded by tissue that is painful, firm, mushy, boggy, warmer or cooler as compared to adjacent tissue. The color of the skin or tissue reflects the degree of the deep tissue injury; dark red tissue means hyperemia and means the tissue has poor circulation; as it worsens the deep tissue area turns purple which means severe tissue injury; this can progress to black color which means