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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
06:51
Mouse Model of Pressure Ulcers After Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: March 9, 2019
Risk factors for pressure ulceration in a resource constrained spinal injury service
O K Idowu1, W Yinusa, S A Gbadegesin
1Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Yaba Lagos, Nigeria. ashikoashiko@yahoo.com
Spinal Cord
|January 12, 2011
Summary
High rates of pressure ulceration occur in spinal cord injury patients in resource-limited settings. Delayed admission and poor nutrition are key risk factors, impacting patient recovery and hospital stay.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Medicine
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Traumatology
Background:
- Pressure ulceration is a significant complication in spinal cord injury (SCI) management, particularly in resource-limited healthcare settings.
- Limited infrastructure, inadequate prehospital care, and staff shortages exacerbate these challenges in developing countries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors associated with pressure ulceration in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.
- To evaluate these factors within a resource-constrained spinal injury unit in Lagos, Nigeria.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study conducted from October 2004 to November 2006.
- Data collected included demographics, time to admission, SCI type, serum albumin, and nutritional status.
- Incidence of pressure ulcers, organisms, and hospital stay duration were recorded.
Main Results:
- The incidence of pressure ulceration upon admission was 57.1%.
- Patients with pressure ulcers experienced an average increase in hospital stay of 33.1 days.
- Nutritional status, delayed admission, and neurological injury type were significant risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Pressure ulceration is highly prevalent in SCI patients in this setting.
- Delayed admission and poor nutritional status are identified as significant contributing factors to pressure ulcer incidence.
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