Management of the Pressure Injury Patient with Osteomyelitis: An Algorithm

Abstract

Pressure injury (PI) is a common complication of inpatient care, affecting an estimated 3 million patients annually in the US. Risk factors include immobility, compromised sensation, malnutrition, urinary or fecal incontinence, and chronic medical illness. Compliance with established guidelines (pressure off-loading, skin care, and frequent inspection) is imperative for the prevention of hospital-acquired PI. Unavoidable PI does occur at times, and is often related to advanced medical illness. Pressure injury complicated by osteomyelitis (OM) can develop in patients with physiologic, behavioral, or treatment-related risk factors, despite the adherence to current standards of prevention.