Comparing 4- and 6-week post-flap protocols in patients with spinal cord injury

The study compares two different durations of post-operative bedrest for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who have undergone flap surgery to treat pressure injuries (PIs). The aim was to determine if a 6-week bedrest protocol leads to better outcomes compared to a 4-week protocol. Researchers reviewed patient data from 1997 to 2016 at a VA hospital, comparing those treated under a 4-week bedrest protocol to those treated under a 6-week protocol after flap surgery for pressure injuries. The primary outcome was the time until patients could sit for 2 hours without issues. The study found that the 4-week protocol was associated with a significantly shorter time to remobilization to sitting for 2 hours, and a shorter length of stay, without an increase in complications like wound dehiscence or surgical revisions.

• 1
  Patients in the 4-week protocol group achieved 2-hour sitting an average of 6 days sooner than those in the 6-week protocol group.
• 2
  The 4-week protocol resulted in a shorter length of stay in the hospital compared to the 6-week protocol.
• 3
  There were no significant differences in rates of dehiscence or revision surgery between the 4-week and 6-week protocols.