摘要

Pressure ulcers are most prevalent among persons with limited mobility, mental confusion, and/ or malnutrition. Prolonged, unrelieved pressure over a bony prominence interrupts blood flow to the tissues, leading to tissue necrosis and eventual development of an ulcer. Traditionally, research has focused on measuring the forces necessary to produce an ulcer and devising means of minimizing those forces. Recently, methods to predict pressure ulcer risk and to prevent pressure ulcer development have received more attention. Dressings and pressure relief materials have been improved to accelerate healing, and new treatments, such as growth factors and electrical stimulation, are receiving increased attention.