Animal Models in Pressure Ulcer Research

Pressure ulcers (PrUs) are injuries resulting from unrelieved pressure, leading to tissue damage. They range in severity from minor skin changes to deep tissue and bone damage. These ulcers are a major concern, especially for the elderly and individuals with spinal cord injuries, causing increased sickness and death. Animal models are crucial for pressure ulcer research because they allow scientists to study the development, progression, and healing of these ulcers in a controlled setting. Human studies are limited to patients with existing ulcers due to ethical and practical reasons. Researchers use various animal models, like mice, to understand what causes healthy tissue to develop pressure ulcers. These models help identify specific aspects of wound development and test the effectiveness of different treatments.

• 1
  No single animal model can fully replicate the complexity of pressure ulcers, but each model has strengths for studying specific aspects of the disease.
• 2
  Muscle damage can occur before skin breakdown in pressure ulcers, suggesting that the origin of these ulcers may be deeper than initially thought.
• 3
  Ischemia-reperfusion injury, where blood flow is restored to previously oxygen-deprived tissue, plays a significant role in the development of pressure ulcers.