Bed Sores

Serving Phoenix, Scottsdale and All of Arizona

Bed sores, also referred to as decubitus ulcers or pressure ulcers, are a serious health hazard affecting nursing home residents every year. Untreated bed sores can lead to infection, severe pain, and can result in gangrene, amputation, and wrongful death.

• Signs of Elder Neglect

Of all the afflictions that affect nursing home patients, bed sores are one of the most common and also one of the most avoidable. In fact, if proper standards of care are maintained in a nursing home, some bed sores may not occur at all. It is safe to say that if you or a loved one has developed serious nursing home bed sores, you should consult an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer right away and investigate whether you have a valid neglect claim

At Cullan & Cullan, M.D., J.D., Dr. Gene Cullan and Dr. Sam Cullan are lawyers who also have degrees in medicine. This combination allows them to fully understand medical records, autopsies, medication orders, feeding instructions, and anything else related to the medical care your loved one was provided (or not provided).

Stages of Bed Sores

• Stage I – This is the least severe stage, characterized by a patch of skin that remains red after pressure is relieved. The skin may differ in temperature or texture from surrounding skin and may be painful to the patient.
• Stage II – This stage is indicated by damage to the epidermis and dermis and may appear as a blister or abrasion.
• Stage III – Damage has extended through the skin and into the subcutaneous layers. Bed sores at this stage can take several months to over a year to heal.
• Stage IV – Sores in this stage extend into muscle, tendon, or bone. Approximately 40% of stage IV ulcers never heal.
• Unstageable – Wound depth is unknown due to the wound being covered in necrotic tissue.

Treatment and Prevention of Bed Sores

The treatment of advanced bed sores can be very painful and expensive and usually involves debridement (removal of dead tissue via chemical, surgical, maggot therapy, or other means), antibiotics, and nutritional therapy. Preventing bed sores may be as simple as moving the patient every couple hours to relieve pressure on the area.

Nursing home employees should know where bed sores are likely to develop on a patient, and these areas should be checked constantly, especially on immobile patients. There are special cushions, pads and mattresses that are designed to relieve pressure on existing on sores that have already formed and to help protect areas that are vulnerable to developing bed sores.

The treatment of bed sores that have been allowed to get out of control causes immense pain and suffering to the patient and also necessitates long-term expensive painful medical care. Decubitus ulcers can be quite challenging because open wounds are slow to heal; when skin and other tissues have been damaged or totally destroyed, healing is never going to be perfect. Some Stage I and II bed sores will heal within a few weeks with conservative treatment. Stage III and IV decubitus ulcers do not resolve on their own and may even require surgery.

Basically, there are a variety of treatments including, but not limited to:

• Sore cleansing
• Debridement
• Application of dressings/changing them frequently
• Hydrotherapy (whirlpool baths are an example)
• Antibiotics
• Diet rich in nutrients
• Massage therapy
• Surgery

There are other treatments for bed sores currently being investigated including the use of electrotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen and the topical use of agents to promote tissue growth.

If you live in Arizona, reside in a nursing home, and have suffered from bed sores, or if you suspect a loved one is suffering from them, please contact the experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Cullan & Cullan M.D., J.D. today to arrange your case evaluation. Please keep in mind that there are strict time limits (statutes of limitations) with most personal injury claims, so we encourage you to contact us soon. We are lawyers who are doctors, and we fight nursing home negligence and abuse.