Decubitus Ulcers

The people who are most at risk of bedsores have medical conditions that keep them from changing positions or moving. Or they spend most of their time in a bed or a chair. Bedsores can arise over hours or days. Most sores heal with conservative treatment, but some never heal completely, developing into chronic wounds. You can take steps to put a stop to bedsores and help them heal.

Symptoms of bedsores are:

• Changes in skin colour or texture

• Swelling

• Pus-like draining

• An area of skin that feels cooler or warmer to the touch than other areas

• Sore areas​

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Bedsores fall into one of several stages based on their depth, how serious they are and other features. The degree of skin and tissue damage ranges from inflamed, unbroken skin to a deep injury involving muscle and bone.

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Common sites of pressure ulcers

        For people who use wheelchairs, bedsores often occur on skin over these areas:

• Tailbone or buttocks

• Shoulder blades and spine.

• Backs of arms and legs where they rest against a chair                                                                                                           For people who need to stay in bed, bedsores may happen on the following areas:

• Back or sides of the head

• Shoulder blades

• Hip, lower back or tailbone

• Heels, ankles and skin behind the knees​

 

When to see a doctor:
If you notice warning signs of a bedsore, change your position to ease pressure on the area. If the area doesn't improve in 24 to 48 hours, contact your healthcare professional. Seek medical care right away if you notice signs of infection. These include fever, drainage from a sore or a sore that smells bad, as well as warmth or swelling around a sore.

 

The treatment of decubitus ulcers often involves surgical revision and wound repair, wound debridement in case of extensive wound infection / necrosis,  as well as administration of pharmacological treatment (e.g. antibiotics, corticosteroids, in case of increased inflammation or autoimmune pathology). Large wounds may require the placement of a VAC system (Vacuum-Assisted Closure / Negative Pressure Wound Therapy NPWT) which protects the wound while wound contraction takes place, before definitive surgical wound closure. It is not uncommon for certain pressure ulcers to develop into chronic wounds, which typically fail to heal within 6 months. The problem with surgical intervention and VAC treatment is that they further limit patient mobility and reduce quality of life, while also incurring significant cost.

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Currently, there is limited availability of bioactive wound treatments, while most wound dressing materials available merely provide protection against infection and lubrication to the wound. HYPPP Therapy is an advanced treatment for decubitus ulcers, that actively promotes skin repair through the stimulation of new blood vessel development and cell proliferation into the wound area. Clinical data shows that even full-thickness large ulcers can heal within 2-4 months under treatment with HYPPP Therapy. The treatment is initiated following a surgical debridement of the wound by your physician, and carried out by patients or their carers at home, as it is easily applied to the wound daily.

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