Surgical Management of Pressure Ulcers During Inpatient Neurologic Rehabilitation: Outcomes for Patients With Spinal Cord Disease

AbstractBackground/Objective: To study efficacy of surgery in the management of pressure ulcers and evaluate the effect of simultaneous comprehensive rehabilitation in improving outcome.Method: Prospective, follow-up study.Setting: Neurologic rehabilitation unit of a tertiary care center.Participants: Patients with spinal cord diseases who had stage lll/IV pressure ulcers underwent surgical reconstruction and inpatient rehabilitation in 2005 with a minimum follow-up duration of 1year. Outcome Measures: Ulcer healing rate, postoperative complications, ulcers recurrence rate, and neurologic (ASIA grade), and functional recovery (Barthel Index).Statistical Analysis: Frequency analysis and paired t test on SPSS 13.0.Results: Surgical intervention was carried out in 25 participants (19 men, 6 women), having a total of 39 ulcers (13 Stage III, 23 Stage IV, 3 unstaged). Surgeries performed were debridement (3), split skin grafting (13), and flap mobilization and closure (23). Only 4 participants (16.6%) had init...