How do pressure sores cause chronic wounds?
Simply put, pressure ulcers are generally caused by external pressure on arteries and veins that pushes against them and reduces the flow of blood through them. The best-known example of this, perhaps, is bed sores, which develop in patients who are confined to bed for prolonged periods. When blood supply to an area of tissue is severely reduced over an extended period, the result is the death of cells that make up that tissue leading to development of a chronic wound, or ulcer that is difficult to heal. The problems of inadequate blood supply are exacerbated by the physical stress of extended immobilized contact on the patient’s skin and underlying tissues, which contribute to reduced blood flow and tissue death. And, again, inadequate blood supply not only makes the patient vulnerable to development of difficult wounds, it also interferes with the chances of healing.
