Patient/caregiver was educated on complications of pressure ulcer as follows:
- Compromised blood supply to the affected area of the skin can result in the site appearing pale in color and cold to touch. Reduced venous drainage from the site of skin involved can lead to the site appearing dark, with an unhealthy bluish tinge.
- Damage to the underlying tissue of the skin can result in inflammation, with unusual pain, warmth, and swelling in the areas of skin involved.
- Secondary to prolonged pressure and damage, the skin in involved body parts can be poorly appreciated and can present with altered sensation and numbness.
- Depending on the extent of skin injury, the involved skin might lose the usual soft & supple nature and turn hard & unyielding.
- Poorly healing and chronic pressure ulcers can result in complications, such as, infection of the involved skin and cellulitis.
- In severe cases, the infection could as well involve the underlying bone causing osteomyelitis, enter the blood stream resulting in sepsis & foci of infection in other body parts.
- Chronically nonhealing pressure ulcers can also result in the wound site turning cancerous.
