Pressure injuries after a spinal cord injury: surgical and reconstructive treatment options

Pressure injuries. Hearing those two words can scare the living daylights out of someone with a spinal cord injury and rightfully so. Pressure injury is a newer term for what people might know as a pressure sore, pressure ulcer, decubitus ulcer, bedsore or skin breakdown. The term changed because not all stages of injuries caused by pressure are actually open “sores” or “ulcers.” However, the meaning is similar. A pressure injury is an area of the skin or underlying tissue (muscle, bone) that is damaged when prolonged pressure cuts off blood flow to the area for too long. Learn more about surgical and reconstructive options available HERE.