Tissue Viability
10 million people in the UK are over 65 years old. The latest projections are for 5½ million more elderly people in 20 years’ time and the number will have nearly doubled to around 19 million by 2050.
Within this total, the number of very old people grows even faster. There are currently three million people aged more than 80 years and this is projected to almost double by 2030 and reach eight million by 2050. While one-in-six of the UK population is currently aged 65 and over, by 2050 one in-four will be.
The primary risk factor for tissue breakdown , once admitted to hospital or with any level of immobility is age.
With aging, the outer skin layer (epidermis) thins, even though the number of cell layers remains unchanged.
The number of pigment-containing cells (melanocytes) decreases, but the remaining melanocytes increase in size. Aging skin thus appears thinner, more pale, and clear (translucent) making the skin more vulnerable.
Additionally the blood vessels of the dermis become more fragile. This leads to bruising, bleeding under the skin (often called senile purpura), cherry angiomas, and similar conditions, which in the immobile patient can predispose very quickly to tissue breakdown.
In the elderly once a patients skin integrity is compromised, the skin repairs itself much more slowly than in younger patients, wound healing can be up to four times slower creating real challenges for tissue viability specialists.
Medstrom are very focused in the delivery and removal of specialist equipment, that will help to prevent skin damage in the first place. We have a large clinical team to offer advice and help in order for you to select the right product for the right patient every time. We work with the Hill-Rom concept that has proven clinical efficacy, and delivers a surface that is comfortable, safe and will effectively re-distribute pressures whilst removing risks such as shear, friction and maceration.
The Hill-Rom surfaces are all compliant with the recently published EPUAP pressure ulcer treatment and prevention guidelines.