Stage 4 bedsores in nursing homes are often a sign of abuse and neglect. They are a serious medical condition that may result in complications and contribute to morbidity.
Jordan Law Center’s Greenville nursing home abuse lawyer explains stage 4 bedsores in nursing homes and your important legal rights.
What Is a Stage 4 Bedsore?
A stage 4 bedsore is the most serious category of bedsore. It occurs when the entire skin and subcutaneous tissue are destroyed. The person’s muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones are exposed.
A person with a stage 4 bedsore has severe tissue damage and a visible, open wound. Nerve damage may cause severe pain.
When a bedsore is in stage 3, there is a deep crater indicating a full loss of skin. When the muscle or bone becomes exposed, the bedsore reaches stage 4.
Understanding bedsores
A bedsore, also called a pressure ulcer, is the wearing away of the skin due to pressure or friction. It occurs when there is too much pressure on a part of the body for too long. Pressure reduces blood flow to the skin. Without adequate oxygen and nutrients, the skin wears away.
Bedsores in nursing homes
People who live in nursing homes often have limited mobility. They may rely on others to change positions. Nursing homes may have inadequate staffing, and poorly trained staff or workers may fail to appropriately tend to patients.
These factors result in a high prevalence of bedsores in nursing homes. In fact, the CDC reports that as many as 11% of U.S. nursing home residents have pressure ulcers, including all stages.
Approximately two percent of nursing home residents have stage 4 bedsores.
The Serious Risks of a Stage 4 Bedsore
Bedsores can lead to serious complications, as open wounds carry a high risk of infection. They allow bacteria and pathogens to directly enter the body.
Types of infection may include:
- Cellulitis (skin infection)
- Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
- Septic arthritis (joint infection)
- Sepsis (systemic infection)
Infection can cause a range of symptoms, including increased pain, confusion, fever, and fatigue. The injured area will be painful or may have a foul odor.
Stage 4 bedsores can be a comorbid pathologic process. That means the person often has an additional medical condition or disease. Bedsores are not always caused by the underlying condition, but the person may be especially susceptible to them because of risk factors, biological pathways, and mobility limitations resulting from other medical issues.
Treatment and care
Bedsores in a nursing home are preventable. When they occur, they should be recognized at an early stage. In most cases, a bedsore should be recognized and treated before reaching stage 4.
Despite the risks of complications, one study found that only 25% of nursing home residents with bedsores stage 2 or higher received special wound care. The CDC reports that, even when bedsores reach stage 4, only 40% of patients receive special wound care.
Can a Stage 4 Bedsore Be Healed?
Some stage 4 bedsores can be treated.
Treatment options may include:
Surgery
Surgery can remove dead and infected tissue. Bone may be removed. Debridement of the dead tissue can allow healthy skin growth.
Reconstruction
Stage 4 bedsore reconstruction takes healthy skin from another area of the body. Skin may be pulled adjacent to the wound or taken from another area of the body. Blood supply to the moved tissue can provide nourishment.
Nutrition
Addressing nutritional deficits can promote healing.
Dressings
Dressing a bedsore appropriately can prevent infection and speed healing.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics can reduce the risk of infection.
Health management
Treatment of stage 4 bedsores should involve management of other health conditions and promote overall health.
Negative pressure wound therapy
A vacuum suctions fluid and bacteria from the infected area.
Personal management
A person may need additional attention from care providers for repositioning. They may need different clothing, bedding, or mobility support. These measures can relieve pressure, allow healing, and prevent recurrence.
While some stage 4 bedsores respond to treatment, stage 4 bedsores have a high mortality rate. Treatments come with potential risks. A personalized care plan should be created for a patient’s individual needs, goals, and risk factors.
Stage 4 Bedsore Life Expectancy: What Families Should Know
Stage 4 bedsores can result in serious complications with a high mortality rate. One study reports an average of 47 days from onset to death for patients developing stage 4 bedsores.
The overall 180-day mortality rate for patients with stage 4 bedsores was 68.9%.
Patients who are older or who have underlying health conditions are more likely to have diminished life expectancy. Prompt and appropriate treatment may improve patient outcomes.
Why Stage 4 Bedsores Often Signal Nursing Home Neglect
If a bedsore reaches stage 4, it’s often a sign of abuse or neglect. That’s because bedsores are preventable, and they can be identified at earlier stages.
The person may have underlying nutrition issues. They may not be repositioned adequately and may be left for long hours in a bed or chair. A developing bedsore may not be identified and treated, which can cause it to continue to develop to stage 4.
An important part of adequate care in a residential facility is understanding the risk of bedsores.
The resident should have a care plan that addresses their individual needs. When bedsores reach a serious stage, it’s often a sign that there has been a failure to provide adequate care.
How a Greenville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Can Help
A Greenville nursing home abuse lawyer may help you receive compensation for a stage 4 bedsore that occurs in a nursing home. They can help you investigate and build the evidence for your claim. They can determine the appropriate case value and negotiate compensation.
Jordan Law Center can assist with all aspects of your claim. We handle personal injury and wrongful death claims involving stage 4 bedsores in nursing homes.
Contact
If you or a loved one has suffered stage 4 bedsores in a nursing home, we invite you to contact Jordan Law Center to talk to a lawyer. See what you may receive for a nursing home bedsores lawsuit. Contact us now at 864-808-1810.
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