Complications
Complication
Timeframe
Likelihood
variable
medium
Organisms present in wound invade local tissue and enter the blood stream. Treatment is systemic antibiotics, which should be determined by sensitivity testing.
variable
medium
If the pressure ulcer becomes infected, the infection may spread to surrounding tissues, resulting in cellulitis. This is treated with systemic antibiotics.
variable
medium
High-grade pressure ulcers may expose the bone and become infected. Osteomyelitis is treated with systemic antibiotics and surgical debridement.
variable
low
Mortality in-hospital occurred in 11.6% of stays with secondary pressures ulcers, compared with 4.2% of stays for pressure ulcers as the primary diagnosis.[104]
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