A method for quantifying the area of closed pressure sores by sinography and digitometry

Neurologically impaired and elderly patients who remain in the same position for prolonged periods risk developing pressure sores. The most insidious of these are closed pressure sores. Conservative treatment of closed pressure sores frequently is the only treatment option. However, no systematic method to assess the effectiveness of conservative treatment modalities exists. The purposes of this study were to develop a method for quantifying the area of closed pressure sores by means of sinography and digitometry and to determine the utility of this method for monitoring healing. A convenience sample of 40 veterans with closed pressure sores was selected. Four individuals independently traced 116 regions from 30 sinograms of closed pressure sores from a subsample of ten patients. A fifth individual calculated areas of closed pressure sores in units, using digitometry. Findings and nursing implications will be presented.