DECUBITUS ULCER

Course overview

DECUBITUS ULCERS ARE SKIN OR SOFT TISSUE INJURIES THAT FORM DUE TO PROLONGED PRESSURE EXERTED OVER SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE BODY. THEY SHOULD RECEIVE PROMPT TREATMENT; OTHERWISE, COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE INJURIES CAN BE FATAL. THE CORNERSTONE OF TREATMENT IS TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE EXERTED AT THE SITE OF THE LESION. TREATMENT OPTIONS VARY ACCORDING TO THE STAGE/GRADE OF THE DECUBITUS ULCER. THIS ACTIVITY INVOLVES THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND HISTOPATHOLOGY OF THE DECUBITUS ULCERS, AS WELL AS HIGHLIGHTING EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OPTIONS BASED ON AN INTERPROFESSIONAL APPROACH, SO THAT PATIENT CARE AND OUTCOMES ARE OPTIMAL.