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Treatment and Care of Bedsores

Bedsores, also known as pressure sores, can develop due to factors such as pressure, nutritional status, and reduced skin resistance, manifesting as tissue necrosis and ulceration. Timely treatment and care are crucial to prevent complications, which can be severe enough to lead to death. Here's a guide on how to treat and care for bedsores.

How to Treat Bedsores?

Bedsores occur when localized skin is subjected to prolonged pressure, leading to impaired blood circulation and subsequent skin symptoms like dark redness, swelling, burning pain, and sometimes ulceration. Treatment involves:

1. Increasing the frequency of turning the patient to improve local blood circulation and correct ischemia and hypoxia.
2. Removing the factors that contribute to the development of bedsores as much as possible.
3. Cleaning the wound with hydrogen peroxide solution, rinsing the skin with saline, disinfecting the surrounding skin with iodine, and then covering with gauze and dressings.
4. Using Kangfuxin Liquid for blisters and significant exudation, or Recombinant Bovine Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Gel for epidermal repair.

How to Care for Bedsores?

1. For external treatment, grind metronidazole tablets into a fine, even powder and apply evenly to the debrided bedsore surface. For deeper sores, pour the powder directly into the wound, cover with sterile gauze, secure with tape, and change the dressing once daily or twice for excessive exudation.
2. Maintain a flat, clean, dry, and debris-free bed as an essential aspect of bedsore prevention and treatment.
3. Keep the patient's skin clean and dry, regularly massaging bony prominences with 50% alcohol.
4. Before medication, remove necrotic tissue and purulent secretions, disinfect the surrounding skin with hydrogen peroxide, and clean the wound with saline-soaked cotton balls.
5. Turn the patient frequently, ideally every two hours during the day and 2-3 times at night.
6. Massage pressure points regularly to promote blood circulation.
7. Use a pillow bridge as a simple and cost-effective way to relieve pressure on bony prominences. Ensure the pillow is positioned correctly to create a gap between the patient's bony prominences and the bed surface.
8. For Stage I bedsores, clean the wound with saline and apply iodine for inflammation if there's breakdown. Use an air cushion to elevate congested areas, avoid further pressure, and guide the patient in limb exercises in bed.