A new postoperative management scheme for preventing sacral pressure sores in patients with spinal cord injuries.

Abstract

Although the reliability of pressure sore surgery has improved with the advent of many different types of flaps, it is well known that the recurrence rate of pressure sores is still remarkably high in spinal cord-injured patients. This article reports the very low relapse rate of postsurgical pressure sores using air mattresses, which also helps relieve manpower requirements for care. We measured interface pressures at the sacrum for 18 spinal cord-injured patients with a ROHO air mattress (ROHO International, Inc, Belleville, IL). Based on the results, we used this mattress immediately after surgery for 19 spinal cord-injured patients with sacral pressure sores. Minimal repositioning was performed for each patient during the hospital stay. Minimal repositioning was similarly performed at home. All pressure sores healed, regardless of the type of surgical procedure, size, and degree of sore. No relapse has been found, with an average of 33.4 months after surgery. With this management, we could achieve a very low recurrence rate, require less manpower for postoperative management, as well as minimize stress for the patients.