Search

Background: Pressure injury is seen across all healthcare settings and affects people of any age and health condition. It imposes a significant burden, with annual costs of up to $17.8 billion in the United States alone. Despite considerable resources it exhausts, the disease remains very prevalent, and the incidence is on the rise. This is in part due to aging population, growing number of nursing home residents, poorly understood biology, and dismal track record of clinical research in this field. Methods: In our Review Article, we discuss the disease pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, evidence based recommendations for risk assessment, prevention and timely management, existing challenges, and directions to improve research on the field. This article encompasses dedicated sections on the full spectrum of the pressure related pathologies including ''conventional pressure ulcers'', ''medical device related pressure injuries'', ''pressure injuries in mucosal membranes'', ''pressure injuries in pediatric population'', ''pressure injury at end of life'', and the ''role of pressure in pathogenesis of diabetic foot ulcers''. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nosileftiki is the property of Hellenic Nurses' Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary Background Bumblefoot, referring to bed-sore-like foot lesions, is one of the most important clinical complications in captive birds and has a multifactorial etiology. Photodynamic therapy has been proposed as an alternative treatment for localized infections in response to the escalating problem of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes in a group of captive Spheniscus magellanicus with bumblefoot lesions treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) or antibiotics (ATB). Methods Ten captive Magellanic penguins with preexisting stage III bumblefoot lesions were selected and randomly divided into one PDT and one ATB group, each including 11 pelvic-limb lesions. All animals underwent surgical debridement of lesions. In the ATB group, antibiotic ointment was applied topically three times a week, and systemic antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs were administered daily. In the PDT group, photodynamic therapy was applied three times a week without the use of topical or systemic medication. Lesion areas were photographed, and swabs were collected for culture and sensitivity, on the first day and every 14 days for a total of 84 days. The four species of bacteria showing the most resistance to the antibiotics screened on the antibiogram were used to determine resistance to PDT with an in vitro test. Results There were significant differences in healing rate and average healing time between the PDT and ATB groups (63.62% vs. 9.09% and 42 vs. 70 days, respectively). Conclusion The findings of this study attest to the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy for the treatment of stage III bumblefoot in Spheniscus magellanicus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Heel ulcers are common, dangerous and costly, but their etiology is poorly understood and no biomechanical studies were conducted to explore it. This paper describes a biomechanical investigation of heel ulcers using a theoretical model that characterizes the internal mechanical loading at the soft tissues of a supported heel. The study is aimed first at identifying some heel-ulcer-specific risk factors pointed out by the biomechanical theory, and second, at demonstrating the kind of support that biomechanical theory and computer modeling can offer in the conduct of clinical studies in the pressure ulcer field. The modeling demonstrated that atypical foot anatomies characterized by heavy-weight foot, sharp posterior calcaneus and thin soft tissue padding are theoretically more prone to heel ulcers. Diabetes and edema at the feet were also predicted to impose risks for heel ulcers, which agrees very well with clinical observations. This paper therefore demonstrated that a biomechanical theory can be used to explain and interpret clinical and epidemiological findings related to heel ulcers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bed sores are among life-threatening factors in patients during hospital confinement. Thus, treating bed sores is one of the major responsibilities of nursing personnel. This study aimed to compare the effects of Frankincense gel and hydrocolloid dressing on healing of second- and third-degree pressure ulcers among hospitalized patients. This clinical trial was conducted on 75 patients with second- and third-degree pressure ulcers in the hospital affiliated Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. After obtaining the participants' informed consent forms, they were randomly divided into three groups. Accordingly, groups A, B, and C were treated by Frankincense (Boswellia corteri) gel and hydrocolloid dressing, placebo gel and hydrocolloid dressing, and hydrocolloid dressing alone, respectively for five weeks. The study data were collected via Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH), which was used to assess and compare pressure ulcers regarding size, tissue, and exudate. Additionally, blood samples were taken from the patients before and two weeks after the treatment in order to measure the level of Transforming Growth Factor (TGF). Pairwise comparisons revealed a significant difference between different time points in respect to PUSH scores (p < 0.001). Additionally, a significant difference was found between Frankincense and the two other groups regarding the ulcer score (p < 0.014). However, no significant difference was observed among the three groups concerning the tissue, exudate, and PUSH scores. Moreover, TGF-β1 increased in the three study groups, but the differences were not statistically significant. TGF-β3 also increased in Frankincense, but not in the two other groups. The study results indicated that the ulcers were healing after five weeks and growth factors increased in the study groups. Furthermore, Frankincense is cheaper and more easily prepared compared to hydrocolloid and does not cause allergic reactions. Therefore, it can be utilized as an appropriate treatment for bed sores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]