Pressure ulcers are not a very new topic in the healthcare sector however, the most surprising part is that these ulcers are and can be at times caused by the medical devices being used by the doctors for treating the patients. About 30 percent of the pressure sores or pressure ulcers are caused by the use of medical devices. These may be called hospital acquired pressure ulcers. Treating the pressure ulcers can be very costly in the US.
Why Do These Pressure Ulcers Develop?
There are a number of factors that promote the formation of these pressure ulcers in patients. One of them being the medical devices that are at times secured tightly with a proper seal with the patient which creates a pressure sore on that particular body part. If it gets severe it may move and spread as well.
At times the devices may rub themselves on the skin continuously and they may remain at one place for a very long time which can increase edema and the device can become more tight. This may lead to a lot of pressure on the skin.
Due to the tightening of the device to the body, humidity and heat develop between the skin and the device which can lead to the breakdown of the skin. This increases the risk of developing the pressure ulcers by five folds. The tapes and the straps that are at times used to secure the devices make it difficult for the doctors to see what is actually happening underneath and this can cause a lot of problems. You may think that the irritation, swelling or itching you are feeling is because of the device however, what you don’t know is that this may be because of the pressure sores that are developing on your skin and if they are not treated they can be a serious threat.
Factors That Promote The Formation Of Pressure Ulcers
There are a number of underlying factors that can promote the development of these pressure ulcers. Some of them are as under:
- Devices are ridged
- The devices can become a hassle when it comes to adjusting them or securing them on the body. The healthcare facilitators make use of tapes and straps to do so
- Once the treatment has been carried out and it is time to remove the machines, it is always not that easy. This is because of the tapes and straps on the body do no not allow the doctors to see the skin underneath the device
- Pressure ulcers can be caused because of not properly fixing the device on the body of the patient
- Sometimes the size of the machines is also inappropriate which can result in the development of pressure ulcers
- The health care facilitator may or may not have enough knowledge about edema
- Not checking the tubes timely
- Lack of practice and awareness which is required to remove and reposition the device
- Not enough knowledge for skin care underneath the device
- Limited practice
- Lack of standardized practice and knowledge
- Use of inappropriate material to protect the skin of the patients
Lowering The Risk
Once the pressure sores are developed and you know that they are not that severe than the first and the foremost thing that should be done is to prevent the sores from spreading on the skin. This can worsen the skin of the patient developing more pressure ulcers. A knowledgeable and a trained team of health professionals are needed to prevent and lower the risk of the pressure ulcers.
Following are some of the steps that one can take in order to avoid the pressure sores:
- Is the device really needed for the treatment? The most important step is to figure out if the patient can be treated without using a medical device that can harm the skin and cause pressure ulcers
- Second step is to make sure that the device you are using should be of the accurate size of that particular body part to avoid a large part of the skin from getting the pressure sores
- Use protective measures to avoid any harm to the skin and tissues that are underneath the medical device
- Make use of medical sheepskin blankets to keep the patient warm and to protect from the formation of pressure ulcers
- If it is possible, make sure to put the device on an area that is not already effected as it will be more prone to developing the pressure ulcers
- Try to remove the medical device from the body from time to time only if it is allowed. This would not only prevent the pressure ulcers form forming and letting you cater the skin underneath it but also give relief to the patients for some time
- Take precautions when removing the device from the body so as to not harm the skin any further