Two thirds of pressure sores occur in patients
older than 70 years. The prevalence rate in nursing homes is
estimated to be 17-28%. The cost of that problem was over 8
billions dollars last years in United States.
Among patients who are neurologically
impaired, pressure sores occur with an annual incidence of 5-8%,
with lifetime risk estimated to be 25-85%. Moreover, pressure
sores are listed as the direct cause of death in 7-8% of all
paraplegics.
Patients hospitalized with acute illness have
an incidence rate of pressure sores of 3-11%.
Disturbingly, even with current medical and
surgical therapies, patients who achieve a healed wound have
recurrence rates of as high as 90%.
