I have been taking care of my elderly mother who just had hip replacement surgery. She is in bed most of the time.
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Should I be worried about bed sores? How long can someone be in bed before bed sores are a problem?
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2 UpVoted this answer
Bedsores or pressure sores are a serious problem. Patients need to be turned every two hours and placed in a special air bed. The sacrum and the heels need to be watched vigilantly and padded appropriately. High-protein diets and proper nutrition are essential.
Consultation with your orthopedic surgeon and the earliest possible ambulation should be initiated. If a bedsore develops consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon is mandatory.
Consultation with your orthopedic surgeon and the earliest possible ambulation should be initiated. If a bedsore develops consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon is mandatory.
2 UpVoted this answer
Bed sores are highly worrisome and require aggressive mobilization and treatment. No patient should have bedsores after total hip replacement surgery since the hallmarks of treatment are rapid mobilization with standing and walking several steps on the day of surgery and further mobilization thereafter. I hope this is helpful for you and your mother.
1 UpVoted this answer
Dear Anonymous:
You are totally correct to be worried about your mother developing a bed sore. They can be devastating and fatal. You have received excellent guidance in the answers below.
Without nursing or medical experience, please contact the surgeon for referral for appropriate home evaluation for nutrition, mobility, sensation, soilage, and rehabilitation. Without these, the possibility of a bed sore can occur in as little as 20 minutes. You may also call the hospital where the surgery was performed and consult the social work department for direction and care.
I do not wish to be alarming but a bed sore is usually preventable and the occurrence may progress to infection, loss of limb and loss of life. Please act quickly.
I wish you and your mom a very quick recovery.
Sincerely,
Dean Kane, MD, FACS
You are totally correct to be worried about your mother developing a bed sore. They can be devastating and fatal. You have received excellent guidance in the answers below.
Without nursing or medical experience, please contact the surgeon for referral for appropriate home evaluation for nutrition, mobility, sensation, soilage, and rehabilitation. Without these, the possibility of a bed sore can occur in as little as 20 minutes. You may also call the hospital where the surgery was performed and consult the social work department for direction and care.
I do not wish to be alarming but a bed sore is usually preventable and the occurrence may progress to infection, loss of limb and loss of life. Please act quickly.
I wish you and your mom a very quick recovery.
Sincerely,
Dean Kane, MD, FACS
1 UpVoted this answer
You should definitely be concerned about bed-sores as they can be precipitated within just a few hours if the patients lies on a firm surface and does not move.
I would recommend that you consult with a professional, preferably a "home health" nurse who has experience and training in matters such as this and let her/him instruct you as to how best prevent the problem. Prevention is the key, because treating a bed sore is a lengthy and costly process particularly in an older patient and involves significant morbidity and for the elderly, even mortality.
I would recommend that you consult with a professional, preferably a "home health" nurse who has experience and training in matters such as this and let her/him instruct you as to how best prevent the problem. Prevention is the key, because treating a bed sore is a lengthy and costly process particularly in an older patient and involves significant morbidity and for the elderly, even mortality.
Pressure ulcers can develop very quickly the exact time is unknown and depends on patient factors such as nutritional status as well. Your mother is at risk, turning and repositioning helps. A protein supplement may help in the healing phase. If a wound develops you should ask her primary care doctor to refer you to a wound specialist which comprises multiple specialties including general surgery, plastic surgery, family practice and many others. the key is seeking out someone whom is advanced trained in managing wounds.
Bed sores or pressure ulcers are the result of sustained pressure over an area of the body where there is usually very little fat or muscle tissue. The most common areas are over the sacrum (middle of the buttock above the tailbone) and the heel bones. Skin changes secondary to pressure can occur within just a couple of hours. It is important that the most susceptible areas be well padded or positioned such that pressure is minimized. Frequently turning the patient (every two hours) to new position is a typical strategy to prevent skiing breakdown. Special air mattresses are frequently used for patients who will require long periods of bed rest. Hyper vigilance and frequently checking the ulcer prone areas is the best prevention.
Bedsores can occur very quickly especially in elderly patients who are immobilized by a hip fracture. It is crucial that she be rotated and pressure taken off of the hip at least every 2 hours.
The most effective treatment is an air bed and I would consult with your physician to see if her medical insurance will cover an air bed or similar anti-pressure sore bed being brought into the home for use.
Emollients and creams and special pressure releasing air-filled pads can be placed beneath the area of pressure on her current mattress and should be instituted.
You need help and professional advice and I urge you to contact your primary care physician before pressure sores develop. Until that time rotating her in bed and keeping Off the hip is most important. Be sure to inspect the skin over the pressure area to look for this first signs of redness and potential breakdown.
I would also do your best to convince your primary care physician to arrange transfer to a rehabilitation service until you're mother is ambulatory and the risk of pressure sore has abated.
The most effective treatment is an air bed and I would consult with your physician to see if her medical insurance will cover an air bed or similar anti-pressure sore bed being brought into the home for use.
Emollients and creams and special pressure releasing air-filled pads can be placed beneath the area of pressure on her current mattress and should be instituted.
You need help and professional advice and I urge you to contact your primary care physician before pressure sores develop. Until that time rotating her in bed and keeping Off the hip is most important. Be sure to inspect the skin over the pressure area to look for this first signs of redness and potential breakdown.
I would also do your best to convince your primary care physician to arrange transfer to a rehabilitation service until you're mother is ambulatory and the risk of pressure sore has abated.
This is a good question. Bedsores (pressure ulcers) occur due to a number of problems. Moisture, thin skin, poor nutritional status, and immobility are contributors. Some paraplegic and quadriplegic patients are essentially bed-bound. In nursing homes, its generally mandated to turn patients and relieve pressure AT LEAST every 2 hours.
If you can improve any of the other factors above, this will also help
If you can improve any of the other factors above, this will also help