Evaluation of Pressure ulcer development in patients with spinal cord injury, a retrospective study

Abstract EN

Background: Pressure ulcers (PU) is a major public health problem by its impact on different areas, such as the quality of patients` life and consumption of resources for the health system, even able to reach legal consequences in many situations which sometimes can be avoidable problem.

It is common for their appearance in spinal cord injuries, which, by their special features, the most frequently affected than other neurological disease.

Spinal cord injury rehabilitation is very complex, due to multiple complications that usually present, such as PU which in turn extend the period of their rehabilitation integral.

Methodology: This study reviewed clinical records of 194 patients with spinal cord injury, registered the kind of spinal cord injury, and the level of neurological condition according to the scale of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), a region topography, time of evolution, presence of pressure ulcers, as well as socio-demographic variables.

Results: A relative frequency of 57.73% of studied patients having a history with a pressure ulcer was identified.

The correlation between the type of lesion, the level of neurological damage and the presence of pressure ulcers, was statistically significant.

Conclusions: Pressure ulcers are the most common chronic complication that occurs in patients with spinal cord injury, being observed for up to 57% of these patients.