The Decubitus Ulcer in Clinical Practice

The decubitus ulcer, whether termed a pressure ulcer or a bed sore, is a monumental problem for contemporary medicine. With patients surviving trauma, neurologic diseases, and the geriatric state for longer periods, dermatologists are now being asked to manage these often devastating cutaneous defects. Unrealistic goals about prevention and wound healing have compounded the problem. Patient awareness, government intervention, and legal entanglements make an undestanding of the diagnosis and management of this dermatologic entity mandatory.
TOC: Table of contents: Background: Bedsores over the Centuries.-Decubitus: The Word.- Incidence, Prevalence and Classification.- Assessment and Grading.- Clinical: Pathophysiology.- Clinical Picture.- Atlas.- Histopathology.- Bacteriology.- Therapy-general: Medical Management.- Surgical Management.- Rehabilitation Approach.- Therapy-specific: Occlusive Dressings.- Support Systems.- Antimicrobial Therapy.- Nutritional Perspectives.- Incontinence Management.- Additional Concepts: Legal Aspects of Medical Malpractice.- Can Do, Ought To?- Decision: Is It Truly Dilemma?- Decubitus Ulcers in Animals.