Abstract

To study the occurrence and surgical management of pressure ulcer (PU) in patients admitted in ICU of tertiary care centre. OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk factors, common sites and outcome of surgical management of pressure ulcers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Interventional study carried out at Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences, Vallah, Sri Amritsar on 74 patients who developed pressure ulcers during their stay in ICU. RESULTS: In our study, 1050 patients were admitted in the ICU’s during the period of January 2023 to March 2024. During their stay, 74 patients among them developed pressure ulcers i.e incidence was 7.04%. Most of them were Grade 1 which were conservatively managed followed by Grade 2 and 3 which were surgically managed. None of the pressure ulcer progressed to grade 4. Most common causes for such event were continuous pressure at particular point, fecal and urinary incontinence, immobility and impaired sensory perception. Sacrum, ischial tuberosities, calcaneum and shoulders were the most common sites which were frequently involved. CONCLUSION: In this study it was noted that maximum number of risk factors which were responsible for the formation of pressure ulcer was preventable. Therefore, it is very important to select appropriate and applicable preventive measures (nursing care, materials, devices and staff education). Pressure ulcer adds unnecessary burden and cost to intensive care patients. This study concludes that ‘Prevention is always better than cure’.

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