1999 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 40-47
To confirm the effectiveness of bathing to improve pressure ulcers, local skin blood flow, bacterial flora and skin pH were compared between the periods before and after bathing in elderly patients with pressure ulcers, aged 61-90 hospitalized in a so called “care-management intensified hospital.” The local blood flow was measured at the skin area directly surrounding the ulcer and 1.5cm distant from the edge of the ulcer by non-detachment laser-flowmetry. Bacterial flora were collected by using the swab method on the skin directly surrounding the ulcer and 1.5cm distant from the edge of the ulcer before and after bathing, and also before and after cleansing during dressing changes. The skin pH was measured at points 1.5cm and 10cm distant from the edge of the ulcer and scapula area before, immediately after, and also 2 hours and 5 hours after bathing. We found that skin blood flow increased significantly within two hours after bathing in all four cases. The changes of blood flow after bathing at areas 1.5cm distant from the pressure ulcer were different between the group with normal skin and those with scarred skin. The bacterial flora decreased after bathing at each site compared to cleansing at dressing changes. The skin pH was not different before and after bathing. These results show that the effectiveness of bathing to improve pressure ulcers might be partially due to an increase of blood flow and decrease of bacterial flora especially in patients who have scars surrounding their pressure ulcers.
