1. Definition
Tissue damage caused by prolonged pressure on skin areas (typically in bedridden people)
2. Development
I) Continuous pressure on skin areas (coccyx, heel, shoulder blade, back of the head)
II) Stone formation → pressure on e.g. gallbladder wall
III) Prolonged intubation, esophageal tube, urinary bladder catheter, etc.
This leads to insufficient blood flow to the skin area, which results in necrotic tissue damage after some time.
3. Therapy
- Disinfection (several times a day)
- Surgical treatment
4. Complications
A severe complications can be the secondary bacterial colonization, which serves as source of sepsis. This in turn can end in:
- Meningitis purulenta
- Endocarditis septica