Pressure ulcers are localized damage to skin and the underlying soft tissue, typically over bony areas of the body. Bedsores occur as a result of intense or prolonged pressure against the skin that limits blood flow to the skin.
Three primary contributing factors for bedsores in nursing home patients are: Pressure, friction and shear (occurs when two surfaces move in the opposite direction). Constant pressure on any part of your body can lessen blood flow and deprive tissue of nutrients.
Major risk factors include immobility, a lack of sensory perception, Poor nutrition and hydration, and medical conditions affecting blood flow like diabetes and vascular disease.
Common Sites of Bedsores:
- Tailbone or buttocks
- Shoulder blades
- Spine
- Backs of arms and legs
- Back or sides of head
- Hips and lower back
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Cincinnati personal injury attorney and Ohio nursing home lawyer with experience reviewing pressure ulcers and other neglect injuries. Mr. Lyon has represented plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of Medical Negligence and pressure ulcer lawsuit claims.
Common Stages of Pressure Ulcers
Bedsores and pressure ulcers are categorized into four stages, based on depth and severity, which include:
- Stage I— Non-blanchable erythema of intact skin: a persistent redness, swelling and tenderness on a patient’s skin. Color changes do not include purple or maroon discoloration, which may indicate deep tissue pressure injury.
- Stage II— Partial-thickness loss of skin with exposed dermis. a loss of some of skin thickness. Appears as a blister, abrasion or shallow crater. The wound bed is viable, pink or red.
- Stage III—damage to the full thickness of the skin. A deep lesion or crater is present. Fascia, muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage and/or bone are not exposed.
- Stage IV—a complete loss of the skin. Muscle or bone is exposed.
- Unstageable Pressure Injury—obscured full-thickness skin and tissue loss.
Pressure Ulcer & Bedsores complications include:
- Amputation
- Sepsis
- Cancer—unhealed wounds or non-healing wounds (Marjolin’s ulcers) can develop into squamous cell carcinoma
- Cellulitis—Infection of the skin and soft tissues.
- Bone and joint infections—Infections from a pressure ulcer can burrow into joints and bones. Septic arthritis can damage cartilage and tissue.
Legal Action Following Pressure Ulcers
Patients in Ohio spending a great deal of time in hospitals and nursing homes are at serious risk of developing injuries like bed sores due to improper care and negligence. Medical teams and nurses can contribute to the problem by prescribing improper medication, displaying a lack of supervision, contributing to malnutrition, inadequately cleaning wounds and ulcers, and delaying sending patients to hospitals.
Pressure sores and deep tissue injuries are almost always preventable. Nursing home and hospital neglect can lead to serious infection, amputations, and deaths. Medical centers and long-term care facilities throughout the country can be held liable for injuries in a pressure ulcer lawsuit.
