BACKGROUND: Pressure @entity1066 are lesions caused by unrelieved pressure over bony prominences, resulting in damage to underlying tissues. The etiology is multifactorial including prolonged immobility. They usually complicate spinal @entity1566 with long periods of bed confinement. The use of bed replacements markedly reduces the incidence of pressure @entity1066 , but the unaffordability of these replacements in low-income countries has necessitated the need to explore cheaper alternatives. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the use of our cheap and locally improvised waterbeds would reduce the incidence of pressure @entity1066 in @entity1 on prolonged bed confinement due to @entity3510 . METHODOLOGY: Over a 16-month period, 51 @entity1 (age range 1-80 years) with @entity3510 were managed conservatively in our service using improvised waterbeds in 21 (41.2%), while using the regular hospital bed/foam in 30 (58.8%). Biodata, the time interval between injury and presentation to the hospital, nature of the injury, use of improvised waterbed and development of pressure @entity1066 , were collected, collated, and analyzed. Statistical significance was calculated with the Chi-square test. RESULTS: Most were males (98%), in the age range of 21-30 years (25.5%), and due to fall from heights (35.3%). Of 21 @entity1 who were managed on improvised waterbeds, 6 (28.6%) had pressure @entity1066 , and of the 30 who did not use the waterbed, 17 (56.7%) developed @entity1066 . The   (2) = 3.9381, while P = 0.0472. This difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The improvised waterbed, which is much cheaper than the standard waterbed, was observed to have significantly reduced the incidence of pressure @entity1066 among our @entity1 . Nonetheless, further studies would still be needed to confirm this observation.

Does Improvised Waterbed Reduce the Incidence of Pressure Ulcers in XXXX with @entity3510 ?

@entity1566 :: ('MESH:D013119', 'Disease') :: ['cord injuries'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity1066 :: ('MESH:D014456', 'Disease') :: ['ulcer', 'ulcers'] @entity3510 :: ('MESH:D013124', 'Disease') :: ['spinal injury', 'spinal injuries']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['Patients']
