Examination of sacral tissue oxygen saturation among immobile patients.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect of immobility on sacral tissue oxygen saturation in patients lying on a supporting surface in supine position. BACKGROUND: Guidelines in regard to preventing pressure ulcers recommend that patients lying on a standard bed should change their positions every 2 hr and that patients on a supporting surface should change their positions every 4 hr. But there is no strong evidence that justifies this practice. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental. METHODS: Data for the research were collected over the period October 2014-March 2015 at Anesthesiology and Reanimation and Neurosurgery Clinic Intensive Care Units. A total of 46 patients matching the research criteria were left in the supine position for 4 hr without having a position change, during which time sacral tissue oxygen saturation was measured every hour on the hour. Sacral tissue oxygen saturation was measured with the InSpectra Tissue Oxygenation Monitor. RESULTS: Mean sacral tissue oxygen saturation was 73.4% at baseline and was then measured as 74.9% at the first hour, 72.3% at the second hour, 71.9% at the third hour and 71.9% at the fourth hour. The changes observed between measuring times were not found to be statistically significant (p = .09). CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant differences were found between sacral tissue oxygen saturation values recorded over a period of 4 hr in immobile patients lying on a supporting surface in the supine position. However, it was observed that sacral tissue oxygen saturation values did not change significantly depending upon the type of supporting surface that was being used. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study outcome supports changing the position of a patient lying on a supporting surface every 4 hr and provides evidence that justifies the recommendation made in the guidelines.

Is the ventrogluteal site suitable for intramuscular injections in children under the age of three?

AIM: This study was conducted to determine whether the ventrogluteal site could be used for intramuscular injections in children under the age of 3 and to compare the subcutaneous and muscle layer thickness at the anterolateral, deltoid and ventrogluteal site in the different age groups and in both sexes. BACKGROUND: Although recent literature has reported that the ventrogluteal area can be an alternative site for intramuscular injections in children ≤12 months of age, little research-based evidence has been found for the use of the ventrogluteal site in infants and toddlers. DESIGN: A descriptive study which took place between November 2013-August 2014. METHOD: A total of 142 children between the ages of 1-36 months were selected by random sampling and ultrasound measurements were made of subcutaneous and muscle thicknesses in the anterolateral, deltoid and ventrogluteal areas. Measurements were analysed using one-way anova and independent samples t-test. RESULTS: The subcutaneous tissue thicknesses in the deltoid, anterolateral and ventrogluteal areas in children between 1-12 months old (n = 56) were 5·20, 6·62 and 7·26 mm respectively, while in children between 13-24 months old (n = 42), these measurements were 4·35, 6·72 and 7·98 mm; in children between 25-36 months old (n = 44), the measurements were 5·92, 7·97 and 13·5 mm. The muscle thicknesses in the deltoid, anterolateral and ventrogluteal areas in children 1- 12 months old were 5·86, 9·10 and 8·17 respectively, while in children between 13-24 months old, the measurements were 7·71, 12·92 and 17·32 mm; in children 25-36 months old, the measurements were 9·28, 18·81 and 19·62 mm. CONCLUSION: This study found that the muscle in the ventrogluteal site is adequately developed, even in infants between the ages of 1-12 months and that in particular, in children 12-36 months old, the ventrogluteal site is even thicker than the anterolateral.

The effect on pain of three different methods of intramuscular injection: A randomized controlled trial.

This paper is the report of a study to determine the effect on pain of internally rotating the foot, pointing the toes down and/or using the Z-track technique during intramuscular injection and to investigate differences in pain perception related to gender and body mass index. A randomized controlled trial was carried out from September to November 2010 on 75 patients receiving diclofenac sodium intramuscularly at a university hospital in Zonguldak, Turkey. The primary outcome measure collected was pain intensity, measured on a visual analogue scale. Each subject received three injections by the same investigator using three different techniques. The three techniques were randomly allocated, and the subjects were blinded to the injection technique being used. After each injection, another investigator, who had no prior knowledge of which injection technique was used, immediately assessed pain intensity using the visual analogue scale. Research findings demonstrated that the Z-track and internally rotated foot techniques significantly reduced pain intensity during intramuscular injection. Statistically significant differences in pain intensity were observed between the three injection techniques. The results supported the hypothesis that the internally rotated foot and Z-track techniques significantly reduce pain intensity.

Preventive effect of extra virgin olive oil on pressure injury development: A randomized controlled trial in Turkey.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Different moisturizing products are used in the prevention of pressure injuries, but there is a limited number of studies on the effectiveness of extra virgin olive oil, which is an herbal and natural product. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of topically applied extra virgin olive oil on the prevention of pressure injuries. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This was a randomized controlled experimental study conducted between February and October 2015 with a total of 129 patients, of whom 64 were in the control group and 65 in the extra virgin olive oil group. RESULTS: 16.9% of patients in the extra virgin olive oil group (n = 11) and 32.8% of patients in the control group (n = 21) developed pressure injuries, and the difference was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the application of extra virgin olive oil is effective in preventing pressure injuries.

Oral glucose solution to alleviate pain induced by intramuscular injections in preterm infants.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to assess the effectiveness of 5% oral glucose solution in reducing pain in preterm infants during intramuscular injection. DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled, unblinded trial to investigate the effect of glucose solution on the pain of intramuscular injection in preterm infants (N = 80). RESULTS: Infants who received oral glucose had significantly lower pain scores (p < .001), less crying time (p < .001), higher oxygen saturation (p < .001), and lower heart rate after compared with during the procedure (p = .02). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our results suggest that oral glucose, even if used in the lowest dose, may have a pain-relieving effect in preterm infants if administered pre-procedure.

A prospective, descriptive study of risk factors related to pressure ulcer development among patients in intensive care units.

Many risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers (PUs) in the general hospital population have been identified, but consensus is lacking on specific PU risk factors for critical care patients. A prospective, descriptive study was conducted to determine the incidence of and risk factors for PU development among high-risk patients (Braden risk scale score <12) admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital in Turkey. Demographic variables, APACHE II scores, serum albumin, hemoglobin, and glucose levels were obtained, and patients' skin was assessed daily until discharge. Data were analyzed using percentage distributions, Student's t-test, chi-square, and logistic regression analysis. Seventy (70) patients (22 women, 48 men), average age 56.2 (SD 19.2) years, mean albumin level 2.86 (median: 2.86, SD 2.73), and mean APACHE II score 17.2 (SD 6.48), completed the study. During an average length of stay of 17.2 days (SD 4.2), PU incidence was 28.6%. Of the 23 ulcers that developed, 12 (52.1%) were Stage I, eight (8, 34.8%) were Stage II, and three (3, 13.1%) were Stage III; no patient developed a Stage IV ulcer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that being female (OR = 0.15, [95% CI:0.03- 0.71] P <0.05) and having a lower serum albumin level (OR=11.6, [95% CI:1.92- 70.4] P <0.01) were independent risk factors for PU development. Patient gender and serum albumin levels should be considered as risk factors for PU development in ICU patients. Larger prospective studies examining these risk factors in ICU patients are warranted.

Effectiveness of a honey dressing for healing pressure ulcers.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of a honey dressing vs an ethoxy-diaminoacridine plus nitrofurazone dressing in patients with pressure ulcers. DESIGN: This 5-week randomized clinical trial evaluated the effect of a honey dressing on pressure ulcer healing. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Thirty-six patients with a total of 68 stage II or III pressure ulcers referred from a university hospital in Izmir were enrolled in the study. Twenty-six subjects completed the trial. INSTRUMENTS: Ulcers were measured with acetate tracings and Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) evaluations. METHODS: Fifteen patients with 25 pressure ulcers were treated with honey dressings, and 11 patients with 25 pressure ulcers were treated with ethoxy-diaminoacridine plus nitrofurazone dressings. Wound healing was assessed weekly using the PUSH tool, version 3.0. The primary outcome measure was the change in PUSH tool scores in each group at 5 weeks. RESULTS: The two groups were statistically similar with regard to baseline and wound characteristics. After 5 weeks of treatment, patients who were treated by honey dressing had significantly better PUSH tool scores than subjects treated with the ethoxy-diaminoacridine plus nitrofurazone dressing (6.55 +/- 2.14 vs 12.62 +/- 2.15, P < .001). CONCLUSION: By week 5, PUSH tool scores showed that healing among subjects using a honey dressing was approximately 4 times the rate of healing in the comparison group. The use of a honey dressing is effective and practical.