Our experience with ischial pressure sores in a series of 34 patients

Abstract 

Ischial pressure sores cause important social and occupational problems for patients with sensorimotor handicaps. Repeated hospitalizations are detrimental to their working status and the requirement for daily local care can be a major burden. Preventative measures, including an adapted wheelchair, regular decompression, daily self-surveillance, and local care, can be effective, but when constituted, pressure sores in patients who wish to resume normal social and occupational activities require effective and long-lasting surgical repair. We report surgical management of ischial pressure sores in a series of 34 paraplegic or tetraplegic patients, comparing surgical parameters and outcome for the different coverage techniques used. Outcome after 10 years of regular follow-up would suggest that the Griffith fasciocutaneous flap combined with a muscle flap using the hamstring muscles provides the most favorable results.