Pressure sore is an area of ulceration and necrosis of the skin and underlying tissue usually occuring over the bony prominences of the body after prolonged or often repeated pressure.
For treatment of the pressure sore, varieties of methods have been develped such as skin graftings, local flaps, myocutaneous or fasciocutaneous flaps, etc.. Skin graftings or local flaps may suffice in mild cases, but when the lesion is large, or sensory loss is present, myocutaneous flaps should be used for the best coverage and padding of the wound.
The authors reviewed 31 patients who had received surgical treatment for pressure sore in the Department of Plastic & Reconstructive surgery in Busan National University Hospital from March 1981 to February 1986, and the following results were obtained.
1. Male to female ratio was 17:14, which showed no significant difference.
2. Age distribution showed the most frequent incidence in the twenties(32%), and thirties(23%) at next.
3. The etiologies were industrial accident, CO intoxication, traffic accident, etc. in order of frequency.
4. Frequent sites were sacral(57%), trochanteric(20%), and ischial regions(9%)
5. Spinal cord injuries were accompanied in 17 patients.
6. Wound culture showed the pattern of mixed infections in most cases, consisting of Staphylococus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, and others.
7. Operative methods were: direct closure(7 cases), skin grafting(3 cases), local flap(5 cases), and various myocutaneous flaps using gluteus maximus muscle(18 cases), tensor fascia lata(6 cases), and inferior gluteal thigh flap(3 cases).
8.Complications had occurred in 11 sites; wound distruption(8), wound infection(2), flap tip necrosis(2), and the loss of skin graft(1).
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