Tanaka Miki, Okuno Hiroyuki, Asai Akiyo, Yoshikawa Yoshiyuki
Department of Rehabilitation, Setsunan General Hospital, Kadoma, JPN.
Department of Rehabilitation, Nara Higashi Hospital, Tenri, JPN.
Cureus. 2025 Apr 23;17(4):e82842. doi: 10.7759/cureus.82842. eCollection 2025 Apr.
Pressure injuries are grave sequelae of prolonged immobility, with each episode incurring an estimated US $30,000-70,000 in direct medical costs and often necessitating protracted management. Beyond the economic burden, these ulcers disrupt the skin's barrier, heightening infection risk and predisposing patients to sepsis. Although electrical stimulation (ES) is endorsed by clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, rehabilitation professionals remain under-represented in pressure-injury care. We report the case of a woman in her 50s with quadriplegia who developed a stage IV pressure injury that failed to improve with standard wound care. Following a physical therapist's recommendation, ES was initiated, which not only accelerated wound closure but also fostered interprofessional collaboration. Stage III/IV ulcers typically require approximately 150-240 days to heal; in contrast, this lesion closed in just 90 days Rigorous, twice-daily wound assessment, pH-balanced cleansing, and scheduled repositioning were integral to this expedited outcome. The case underscores the value of team-based management and highlights ES as a promising adjunct for severe pressure injuries. Larger cohort studies are warranted to confirm these findings and refine clinical protocols.
压疮是长期卧床的严重后遗症，每次发作估计会产生3万至7万美元的直接医疗费用，而且往往需要长期治疗。除了经济负担外，这些溃疡还会破坏皮肤屏障，增加感染风险，并使患者易患败血症。尽管电刺激（ES）得到了临床指南、系统评价和荟萃分析的认可，但康复专业人员在压疮护理中的参与度仍然不足。我们报告了一例50多岁的四肢瘫痪女性病例，她出现了IV期压疮，标准伤口护理未能使其改善。根据物理治疗师的建议，开始进行电刺激治疗，这不仅加速了伤口愈合，还促进了跨专业协作。III/IV期溃疡通常需要大约150至240天才能愈合；相比之下，该伤口仅用90天就愈合了。严格的每日两次伤口评估、pH值平衡清洁和定期翻身是取得这一快速愈合结果的关键。该病例强调了团队管理的价值，并突出了电刺激作为严重压疮一种有前景的辅助治疗方法的作用。需要进行更大规模的队列研究来证实这些发现并完善临床方案。
