If a pressure sore is not treated, the skin surrounding the wound will become necrotic. It is also possible that the sore will become infected with bacteria which cause the skin to break down and die.
Grade 4 pressure sore
A pressure sore is when the tissue breaks down due to unrelieved pressure. It commonly affects people who have poor mobility, as they are unable to move position of their own accord, meaning the same areas of the body are compressed.
There are different grades of pressure sore, with a grade one being the most minor. A grade four pressure sore is the most severe and sees the tissue surrounding the sore become necrotic. Necrotic tissue means that the tissue has died due to a lack of blood and oxygen. It will turn black in colour and will fall away, leaving an even larger open wound.
Infected pressure sore
People with a grade four pressure sore are at a high risk of developing an infection. This is because the wound will be open, making it easy for bacteria to get into it. Furthermore, it is likely that the individual in question will have a weakened immune system and will therefore be unable to fight of the infection.
Pressure sore infected with necrotising fasciitis
A pressure sore can become infected with any type of infection, such as MRSA. One of the most serious types of infection is an aggressive flesh-eating disease called necrotising fasciitis.
Necrotising fasciitis is considered to be a rare condition, but we have seen several cases in which a pressure sore has become infected with necrotising fasciitis. It is a potentially fatal condition as it spreads very quickly, causing the tissue to become necrotic within a matter of hours.
Because of the speed at which necrotising fasciitis spreads, it is vital that the condition is diagnosed and treated without delay.
Failure to treated infected pressure sore
If a pressure sore become infected with necrotising fasciitis but the condition is not diagnosed and treated, the consequences will be very grave. A large area of tissue will become necrotic and the bacteria will get into the bloodstream, spreading the infection across the body. This will make a patient extremely unwell and may even prove to be fatal.
If there is a delay in diagnosis and treatment and fault lies with medical practitioners, there may be grounds for a compensation claim. Contact us to find out more.
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