ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Acta Vulnologica 2016 June;14(2):65-77

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

The treatment of pressure ulcers in advanced cancer patient: the importance of a dedicated team

Enrico RUGGERI, Andrea A. MARTONI, Italo MALAVASI, Federica AGOSTINI, Elena PICCINELLI, Melissa MAZZETTI, Angela TENACE, Lucia CAMPULLU, Barbara BOIN, Franco PANNUTI

Fondazione ANT Italia Onlus, Bologna, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of the paper was to analyze the first results of a medical and nursing team dedicated to the treatment of pressure ulcers (PU) in advanced cancer patients, assisted at home by the ANT Foundation (Bologna, Italy).
METHODS: Patients’ clinical and nutritional characteristics were evaluated at their admission to the study (T0). Nursing parameters were weekly measured at time T0-T7-T14-Tn, including description of the number, site, stage and typology of the PU, photo of the lesion, type and frequency of medication according to the specific ANT protocol.
RESULTS: From April 2013 to March 2014 twenty patients were evaluable (7 M, 13 F, mean age 80±9 years), for a total of 26 PUs. The stage of the lesion was: II in 17 PUs, III in 6 and IV in 3. At the end of the survey, 11 PUs were completely healed, 12 had improved with significant reduction of stage and dimensions, 2 were stable and 1 had worsened. The median survival is significantly longer in patients with healed PUs than in those with improved, stable or worsened PUs.
CONCLUSIONS: The significant improvement, including complete healing, in 23/26 patients after just 6 weeks of treatment with medications justifies the creation of a team dedicated to prevention and treatment at home of the PUs in advanced cancer patients. The end of life and the state of malnutrition are negative prognostic factors to have tissue repair.