Pathophysiology and prevention of presser ulcer in cardiac surgery: A review study

The purpose of this paper is to review pathophysiology and prevention of presser ulcer in cardiac surgery. Decubitus ulcer is a one of the important issues of health care، national patient safety index and quality of health care. Decubitus ulcer as complication of hospitalization affects patients'' health negatively، increases the costs of hospitalization and takes personnel time، especially in CABG patients. The data bases Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL)، Scopus، Medline، Embase and PsycINFO were searched for by the key words «Prevention»، «Bed sore» «CABG»، «Decubitus ulcer» and «Control»، alone or with their Persian equivalents. The main cause of decubitus ulcer in patients after CABG consists of tensile forces، friction، moisture، malnutrition، anemia، infection، fever، obesity، excessive weight، age and impaired peripheral circulation. The most important preventive ways are identifying individuals at risk using standard pre-operative evaluation، regularly observing and keeping the skin clean، changing the position of the patient every two hours، using pressure distribution devices such as wind and water mattresses، and foam equipment such as coatings containing gel on the at risk areas. The risk of decubitus ulcer after CABG can be reduced by preventive strategies.