{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.036163522012578615, 'fraction_numerical': 0.027515723270440252, 'mean_word_length': 4.487068965517241, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 1, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Pattern of pressure ulcers in a tertiary hospital in south-south Nigeria

Background: Pressure ulcers are a common cause of increased morbidity in patients who are bedridden or wheelchair-bound. Objectives: This is to look at the pattern of pressure ulcers in our facility with the objectives to determine the demographic distribution such as age and sex, sites and stage of the ulcers, co-morbidities and duration of immobilisation prior to onset of ulcer. Methods: This is a prospective study of patients seen within 12 months in the ward or in the surgical outpatient and followed up till discharge or death. Patients were enlisted into the study as they presented. Those with previous surgical treatment of pressure ulcers at the same site were excluded. Results: AGE: range from 15 to 91 years with a mean age of 63.7 years, modal age of 70 years and peak age group 65-79 years (>45 years of age). One patient (10%) was a 15 year old. M: F= 1.2:1. The duration of immobilization prior to development of ulcer ranged from 2 weeks to 20 years. Most of our patients had cerebrovascular disease, 25.8%, as the co-morbidity causing immobilization. Sacral ulcers (61%) were most common site followed by trochanteric (22%). Stage 2 pressure ulcers were the commonest stage. 