Pressure sores in elderly patients. The epidemiology related to hip operations.

The prevalence and onset of pressure sores was studied in 283 patients admitted to a general hospital with either fracture of the proximal femur or for elective hip surgery. Ninety patients developed pressure sores, of which 60 are reported in detail. Most were in women aged 70 or more who had been admitted with hip fractures. The majority of pressure sores started soon after admission, particularly on the day of operation, after which the numbers of new cases decreased. Half the patients had more than one pressure sore and the commonest sites were the sacrum, heels, and buttocks. The mortality in patients with pressure sores was 27% and their mean length of stay in hospital far exceeded that of other patients. The prevention of pressure sores in elderly patients requires more skill and attention than the nurse alone can offer; it demands the help of the whole orthopaedic team.