Products for Preventing and Treating Bed Sores and Foot Ulcers in Nursing Homes and Hospitals

Pressure ulcers (bed sores) and foot ulcers are serious conditions that require proactive prevention and effective treatment to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Nursing homes and hospitals have access to a variety of products designed to prevent and manage these wounds. Utilizing these products, such as those from reputable brands like Skil-Care, is crucial for maintaining skin integrity and promoting healing.

Prevention Products

  1. Pressure-Relieving Mattresses and Overlays

Specialized mattresses and overlays are essential for redistributing pressure and reducing the risk of bed sores. These products use advanced materials and technologies to provide continuous pressure relief. For example, Hill-Rom® P500 Therapy Surface offers advanced microclimate management and pressure redistribution, making it suitable for high-risk patients. Skil-Care, Stryker, Drive Medical and others provide various pressure relief foam mattresses to alleviate the risk of bed sores.

  1. Cushions and Positioning Devices

Cushions and positioning devices help in offloading pressure from vulnerable areas like the sacrum, heels, and elbows. Skil-Care offers a range of products, including Wheelchair cushions made with Foam and Gel, as well as the Skil-Care Heel Float cushions, designed to elevate and protect the heels from pressure and friction. The Skil-Care Bed Wedge is another useful product that helps reposition patients to relieve pressure on specific body parts.

  1. Foam Dressings

Foam dressings are used to protect the skin and manage moisture, which can prevent bed sores. Brands like Mepilex® by Mölnlycke® provide foam dressings that conform to the body contours, offering cushioning and absorbing exudate to maintain a moist wound environment conducive to healing.

  1. Incontinence Management Products

Managing moisture and incontinence is crucial for preventing skin breakdown. DermaRite®’s PeriGuard® ointment acts as a moisture barrier, protecting the skin from urine and feces, while **Prevail® Incontinence Products** offer absorbent pads and briefs that keep the skin dry.

Treatment Products

  1. Advanced Wound Dressings

For existing bed sores and foot ulcers, advanced wound dressings play a critical role in promoting healing. Alginate dressings, such as Sorbsan® by Unomedical, are highly absorbent and help manage wound exudate. Hydrocolloid dressings, like DuoDERM® by ConvaTec, create a moist wound environment that facilitates autolytic debridement.

  1. Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)

NPWT systems, such as the V.A.C.® Therapy System by KCI, apply controlled negative pressure to the wound site. This therapy promotes granulation tissue formation, removes exudate, and reduces edema, enhancing the healing process for both bed sores and foot ulcers.

  1. Topical Agents and Gels

Topical agents, including antimicrobial gels and ointments, are vital for managing wound infections. SilvaSorb® Gel by Medline contains silver, which has antimicrobial properties that help prevent and treat infections in chronic wounds.

  1. Pressure Offloading Devices

For foot ulcers, pressure offloading devices are essential to promote healing. Total contact casts (TCC) are considered the gold standard for offloading plantar foot ulcers in diabetic patients. Additionally, DARCO® offers a range of diabetic footwear and offloading shoes designed to reduce pressure on the ulcerated area.

  1. Nutritional Supplements

Adequate nutrition is key to wound healing. Abbott Nutrition’s Juven® is a therapeutic nutrition powder designed to support wound healing with a unique blend of arginine, glutamine, and HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate).

Conclusion

The prevention and treatment of bed sores and foot ulcers in nursing homes and hospitals rely on a comprehensive approach that includes the use of specialized products. Brands like Skil-Care, Hill-Rom, Abbott Nutrition, Johnson & Johnson, Posey, and others provide a range of products that help redistribute pressure, manage moisture, protect the skin, and promote wound healing. By integrating these products into patient care protocols, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the incidence and severity of pressure ulcers and foot ulcers, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life.

References

  1. Hill-Rom® P500 Therapy Surface.
  2. Skil-Care Product Catalog.
  3. Mölnlycke Mepilex® Foam Dressings.
  4. DermaRite® PeriGuard®.
  5. KCI V.A.C.® Therapy System.
  6. Medline SilvaSorb® Gel.
  7. DARCO® Diabetic Footwear.
  8. Abbott Nutrition Juven®.