The aetiology of medical device-related pressure ulcers and how to prevent them.

This article provides an introduction to the aetiology of medical device-related pressure ulcers (MDRPUs), describes the vicious cycle that leads to these injuries and highlights bioengineering methodologies and findings that connect the aetiology to the clinical practice of preventing MDRPUs. Specifically, the vicious cycle of MDRPUs is triggered by the sustained tissue deformations induced by a skin-contacting device. The primary, deformation-inflicted cell damage leads to a secondary inflammatory-oedema-related damage and then to tertiary ischaemic damage. Each of these three factors contributes to cumulative cell death and tissue damage under and near the applied device. The damage therefore develops in an escalated manner, as a result of the added contributions of the above three factors. This phenomenon is exemplified through two common clinical scenarios. First, through the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) masks, which are being applied extensively in the current COVID-19 pandemic, and, second, through the use of doughnut-shaped head positioners, which are applied to surgical patients and sometimes to bedridden individuals who receive intensive care in a supine position. These two medical devices cause intense, localised mechanical loads in the facial skin and underlying tissues (CPAP mask) and at the occipital scalp (doughnut-shaped positioner), where the soft tissues cannot swell in response to the inflammatory oedema as, in both cases, the tissues are sandwiched between the device and the skull. Accordingly, the two device types result in characteristic MDRPUs that are avoidable through appropriate prophylactic interventions, that is, preventive dressings under the CPAP mask and replacement of the doughnut device by a soft, shape-conforming support aid to alleviate and disperse the localised soft tissue deformations. Hence, understanding the aetiology of MDRPUs targets and focuses effective clinical interventions.

Prevención de lesiones cutáneas causadas por productos y equipos de protección personal durante COVID-19: revisión de alcance.

OBJECTIVE: Identify, summarise and present key recommendations published in the literature to prevent skin damage in health professionals as a result of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the covid-19 pandemic. METHOD: A scoping review, based on the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, was carried out between December 2019 and May 2020. The studies included male and female health professionals, who wore PPE during the global pandemic, in any given scenario. Headings and abstracts were analysed. Two independent investigators reviewed the full text. RESULTS: Eight publications were included. All of them focused on preventing pressure ulcers (PU) caused by PPE. Hygiene, hydration and the use of skin barriers were highlighted as preventive measures. There were different views around the type of humectant/skin barrier recommended to avoid skin damage. CONCLUSION: More studies identifying the most suitable strategies to maintain health professionals' skin integrity during the covid-19 pandemic are needed.

OBJETIVO: Identificar, resumir y presentar las recomendaciones publicadas para prevenir lesiones cutáneas (cualquier alteración de la piel) por el uso de productos y equipos de protección personal (EPP) en profesionales de la salud durante la pandemia del COVID-19. MÉTODO: Se realizó una revisión de alcance, basada en las sugerencias del Instituto Joanna Briggs, entre diciembre de 2019 y mayo de 2020. Se incluyeron estudios realizados con profesionales de la salud de ambos sexos, que utilizaron productos y EPP durante la pandemia, en cualquier escenario de la atención sanitaria. Se examinaron los títulos y resúmenes de los estudios. Dos revisores independientes evaluaron el texto completo, según los criterios de inclusión establecidos. RESULTADOS: Ocho publicaciones fueron seleccionadas. Todas se centraron en los cuidados relacionados con la prevención de lesiones por presión (LPP). Resaltaron la higiene e hidratación, y el uso de protectores cutáneos como medidas preventivas. CONCLUSIÓN: Es necesario llevar a cabo investigaciones en busca de mejores estrategias para mantener la integridad de la piel de los profesionales de la salud en el ejercicio de su profesión durante el COVID-19. CONFLICTO DE INTERÉS: Este artículo es parte de un proyecto apoyado por el Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovaciones (MCTI) y el Consejo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (CNPq) de Brasil.

Skin and Mucosal Damage in Patients Diagnosed With COVID-19: A Case Report.

Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are at a high risk for developing pressure injuries. A patient requiring multiorgan support is at a higher risk for pressure injuries related to immobility, sedation, vasopressors, and hypoxia. To mitigate pressure injuries, our hospital utilizes a bundle approach to prevent skin injury. However, despite efforts to prevent pressure injuries, we found our patients in the ICU with the diagnosis of COVID-19 went on to develop significant pressure and mucosal injuries. This is a case report of 4 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who developed significant skin and mucosal injuries during their ICU admissions in the month of March 2020. We found that patients developed skin conditions that were initially thought to be deep-tissue injuries (DTIs) early in the admission. The DTIs progressed over the course of the admission in the ICU and evolved to thick adherent eschar that appeared to be unstageable pressure injuries, which extended beyond the soft tissue directly over the bony prominence. We also found that skin damage to the mucosa of the nares, tongue, lips, and urethra presented first as inflammation and then progressed to thick eschar. Despite maximum pressure relief with the use of a pressure-relieving turn and position system, bordered foam dressings, fluidized positioners, specialty beds, and leadership support for twice-a-week skin checks, our patients diagnosed with COVID-19 developed extensive skin damage across the fleshy portion of the buttocks and on the mucosa of the nares, tongue, lips, and urethra during minimal exposure to pressure. Although the initial presentation of the skin damage appeared to be related to pressure, the extent of the skin damage suggests a vascular inflammatory process beyond skin damage related to pressure.

Medical Device-Related Pressure Injuries During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs) account for more than 30% of all hospital-acquired pressure injuries. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a large population of patients at risk for MDRPIs due to prolonged intubation and prone positioning. We reviewed our experience with MDRPIs during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic at an Academic Medical Center. CASES: We evaluated 30 cases of MDRPIs acquired during the peak of our pandemic, April 1 to May 31, 2020, and compared these to injuries seen over a similar time period prior to the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiences with MDRPIs during this time has led the WOC team to begin development of a quality improvement project aimed at improving management of high-risk respiratory illness patients requiring intubation and prone positioning.