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Pressure ulcers in spinal cord injury patients in Gombe, Nigeria
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pressure ulcers occur commonly in patients with neurological impairment like Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) as a complication. This group of patients may be wholly or partly paralysed and can develop pressure ulcers subsequently. This study was undertaken to highlight this complication of spinal cord injury as received at the Federal Medical Centre Gombe, North Eastern Nigeria.
METHODS It is a prospective study of patients admitted for SCI that developed pressure ulcers, between August 2000 to July 2002. the data obtained were, the cause of spinal cord injury, level of injury, type of neurological deficit, nature of injury, duration of spinal shock, duration of hospitalization, presence of pressure ulcers (number, size and grade), recovery and other complications.
RESULTS Thirty-one patients were admitted out of which three left against medical advice (LAMA). Sixteen (57.1%) of the remaining 28 developed pressure ulcers and all of them were males. The age range was 20 – 35 years with a mean of 26.6 + 4.8 years. Twenty four pressure ulcers were recorded with all of the patients having sacral ulcers, while eight (50%) had in addition bi-trochanteric ulcers. All except three ulcers (in two patients) were grade III & IV ulcers.
CONCLUSION The high percentage and high grade of pressure ulcer were due to limited number of trained manpower and inadequate pressure relieving devices. Public enlightenment and setting up of special centres or units with trained manpower and adequate equipment will go a long way to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers among SCI patients.
Key Words: Spinal cord injury, neurological impairment, pressure ulcer, prevention, pressure relieving devices
Nigerian Journal of Orthopaedics and Trauma Vol.3(1) 2004: 57-60
METHODS It is a prospective study of patients admitted for SCI that developed pressure ulcers, between August 2000 to July 2002. the data obtained were, the cause of spinal cord injury, level of injury, type of neurological deficit, nature of injury, duration of spinal shock, duration of hospitalization, presence of pressure ulcers (number, size and grade), recovery and other complications.
RESULTS Thirty-one patients were admitted out of which three left against medical advice (LAMA). Sixteen (57.1%) of the remaining 28 developed pressure ulcers and all of them were males. The age range was 20 – 35 years with a mean of 26.6 + 4.8 years. Twenty four pressure ulcers were recorded with all of the patients having sacral ulcers, while eight (50%) had in addition bi-trochanteric ulcers. All except three ulcers (in two patients) were grade III & IV ulcers.
CONCLUSION The high percentage and high grade of pressure ulcer were due to limited number of trained manpower and inadequate pressure relieving devices. Public enlightenment and setting up of special centres or units with trained manpower and adequate equipment will go a long way to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers among SCI patients.
Key Words: Spinal cord injury, neurological impairment, pressure ulcer, prevention, pressure relieving devices
Nigerian Journal of Orthopaedics and Trauma Vol.3(1) 2004: 57-60
