Influence of Physiotherapy in the Vigilant Revitalisation of Decubitus Ulcer: A Case Report

Abstract

Decubitus ulcer seems to be the most typical side-effects seen in chronic patients due to postspinal cord injury, various neurological conditions and prolonged periods of immobilisation. This is a type of skin and soft tissue lesion that develops as a result of prolonged or continuous skin pressure. All of the pressure sensitive sites are the occiput, trochanters, sacrum, malleoli and heel. A 43-year-old male patient experienced road traffic accident that resulted in cervical spinal cord injury and was bed ridden for the past five months, developing grade 4 bed sores over bilateral buttocks and sacral region. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the dorsal spine revealed cervical canal stenosis with neural forminal stenosis and neural impairment at C3-C4 to C6-C7 disc levels. Braden score and functional independence measures were the outcome measures used to evaluate patient condition. Physiotherapy was initiated to deal with symptoms such as lower limb weakness, bed sores in the bilateral buttock and sacral region and hand activities. It entailed a variety of therapeutic approaches aimed at teaching patient transfers and bed mobility as well as making the patient functionally independent. Laser therapy had been used to speed wound healing and to explore if it is beneficial in combating massive, chronic pressure sores. In this case, it was also demonstrated that advanced physiotherapy rehabilitation, which included laser therapy, was advantageous to the patient and led to significant outcomes after a spinal cord injury.

Keywords

• cervical spinal cord injury
• laser therapy
• outcome measures
• physiotherapy rehabilitation