Pressure injuries in spinal cord injury: knowledge update

The objective of this article is to offer a clinical and bibliographic update of nursing knowledge about pressure injuries in the field of spinal cord injury, highlighting the specific and concrete aspects inherent to spinal cord injury. An exhaustive risk analysis is developed for this, exposing the main sociodemo-graphic, clinical factors associated with spinal injury, behavioral and socio-sanitary factors, as well as the effect of neurological damage on the skin and tissues, scales, and characteristics of pressure injuries in this population: location, severity and recurrence. Likewise, the main prevention strategies are described throughout the entire care process, in the bedridden patient and the patient sitting in a wheelchair. The main lines of treatment recom-mended from the evidence and differentiating it from other popula-tions susceptible to risk are shown. Finally, health education interven-tions are described from an interdis-ciplinary and global perspective, as well as the future challenges to be faced in units specialized in spinal cord injury.