Treatment approaches of stage III and IV pressure injury in people with spinal cord injury: A scoping review

Pressure injuries (PIs), especially stage III and IV, are a common and serious complication for individuals with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D). These injuries often require surgery and a team of different healthcare professionals to treat effectively. This study reviewed existing research to understand the different treatment approaches used for severe PIs in people with SCI/D. The review looked at which treatments are used, what elements they include, and how well they work. The review found that while certain elements like debridement and flap surgery are consistently used, there is a lack of strong evidence on the effectiveness of the overall treatment approaches. More research is needed to determine the best way to treat these complex injuries.

• 1
  Ten different approaches were identified, including debridement, flap surgery, pressure relief, immobilization, and infection control.
• 2
  Key elements such as risk screening, osteomyelitis treatment, nutritional therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, spasticity control, and prevention and education were variably included in the approaches.
• 3
  Only one study reported on the effectiveness of the approaches, highlighting a significant gap in the evidence base.