decubitus ulcer

decubitus ulcer

n.

See bedsore.

---

decubitus ulcer.

See pressure ulcer.

---

ulcer [ul´ser]

a local defect, or excavation of the surface of an organ or tissue, produced by sloughing of necrotic inflammatory tissue.

aphthous ulcer a small painful ulcer in the mouth, approximately 2 to 5 mm in diameter. It usually remains for five to seven days and heals within two weeks with no scarring.

chronic leg ulcer ulceration of the lower leg caused by peripheral vascular disease involving either arteries and arterioles or veins and venules of the affected limb. Arterial and venous ulcers are quite different and require different modes of treatment. Venous stasis ulcers occur as a result of venous insufficiency in the lower limb. The insufficiency is due to deep vein thrombosis and failure of the one-way valves that act during muscle contraction to prevent the backflow of blood. Chronic varicosities of the veins can also cause venous stasis.

Patient Care. Stasis ulcers are difficult to treat because impaired blood flow interferes with the normal healing process and prolongs repair. Patient care is concerned with preventing a superimposed infection in the ulcer, increasing blood flow in the deeper veins, and decreasing pressure within the superficial veins.

decubitus ulcer pressure ulcer.

duodenal ulcer an ulcer of the duodenum, one of the two most common types of peptic ulcer.

gastric ulcer an ulcer of the inner wall of the stomach, one of the two most common kinds of peptic ulcer.

Hunner's ulcer one involving all layers of the bladder wall, seen in interstitial cystitis.

hypertensive ischemic ulcer a manifestation of infarction of the skin due to arteriolar occlusion as part of a longstanding vascular disease, seen especially in women in late middle age, and presenting as a red painful plaque on the lower limb or ankle that later breaks down into a superficial ulcer surrounded by a zone of purpuric erythema.

marginal ulcer a peptic ulcer occurring at the margin of a surgical anastomosis of the stomach and small intestine or duodenum. Marginal ulcers are a frequent complication of surgical treatment for peptic ulcer; they are difficult to control medically and often require further surgery.

peptic ulcer see peptic ulcer.

perforating ulcer one that involves the entire thickness of an organ, creating an opening on both surfaces.

phagedenic ulcer

1. any of a group of conditions due to secondary bacterial invasion of a preexisting cutaneous lesion or the intact skin of an individual with impaired resistance as a result of a systemic disease, which is characterized by necrotic ulceration associated with prominent tissue destruction.

2. tropical phagedenic ulcer.

pressure ulcer see pressure ulcer.

rodent ulcer ulcerating basal cell carcinoma of the skin.

stasis ulcer ulceration on the ankle due to venous insufficiency and venous stasis.

stress ulcer a type of peptic ulcer, usually gastric, resulting from stress; possible predisposing factors include changes in the microcirculation of the gastric mucosa, increased permeability of the gastric mucosa barrier to H⁺, and impaired cell proliferation.

trophic ulcer one due to imperfect nutrition of the part.

tropical ulcer

1. a lesion of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

2. tropical phagedenic ulcer.

tropical phagedenic ulcer a chronic, painful phagedenic ulcer usually seen on the lower limbs of malnourished children in the tropics; the etiology is unknown, but spirochetes, fusiform bacilli, and other bacteria are often present in the developing lesion, and protein and vitamin deficiency with lowered resistance to infection may play a role in the etiology.

varicose ulcer an ulcer due to varicose veins.

venereal ulcer a nonspecific term referring to the formation of ulcers resembling chancre or chancroid about the external genitalia; there are both sexually transmitted and other types.

---

ulcer (ul´sur),

n a loss of covering epithelium from the skin or mucous membranes, causing gradual disintegration and necrosis of the tissues.

“Ugly duckling” stage of mixed dentition.

ulcer, aphthous

n an open, shallow lesion in the oral cavity that causes pain; commonly known as a
canker sore. The cause is unknown, and treatment is limited to alleviating the symptoms.

ulcer, aphthous, recurrent (RAU)

n periodic episodes of aphthous lesions on nonkeratinized oral tissues lasting from 1 week to several months. Trauma and immunologic factors are involved in the etiology. The single or multiple discrete or confluent ulcers have a well-defined marginal erythema and a central area of necrosis with sloughing. Also called
canker sore and
recurrent aphthae.

ulcer, autochthonous

n See chancre.

ulcer, decubitus

n 1. a bedsore.
2. older term for a traumatic ulcer of the oral mucosa. More commonly called
traumatic ulcer.

Decubitus ulcer.

ulcer, diabetic

n an ulcer, usually of the lower extremities, associated with diabetes mellitus.

ulcer, herpetic

n an ulcer on keratinized orofacial tissues that is secondary to the vesicle of herpes simplex after the intact surface is broken by trauma to the lesion; a shallow ulcer with an irregular, erythematous border and a yellow-gray base. Contagious through all stages of lesion. Can be treated by topical acyclovir. Also called a
cold sore.

ulcer, Mikulicz's

n.pr See periadenitis mucosa necrotica recurrens.

ulcer, pemphigoid aphthous,

n a lesion located on the gingiva or mucous membranes due to a chronic disease of the autoimmune system. It is indicated by a wound with a thick wall that ruptures within 24 to 48 hours and leaves an eroded and painful surface area. It heals through the formation of a scar.

ulcer, peptic

n an ulcer of the stomach or duodenum. Most ulcers are associated with
H. pylori, a spiral-shaped bacterium that lives in the acidic environment of the stomach. They can also be caused or worsened by drugs such as aspirin and other NSAIDs.

ulcer, pterygoid

n See aphtha, Bednar's.

ulcer, rodent,

n See carcinoma, basal cell.

ulcer, traumatic,

n an ulcer that is caused by trauma. It can be due to faulty oral hygiene, rough foods, oral habits, poor-fitting dentures, or inadvertent mastication or biting of oral tissues. The offending cause may need to be removed by the patient or clinician. After this treatment, it must heal within a 2-week period to rule out any oral cancer concerns. The older term in dentistry is
decubitus ulcer.

---

decubitus

pl. decubitus.

1. the act of lying down; the position assumed in lying down.

2. a decubitus ulcer.

---

dorsal decubitus

lying on the back.

lateral decubitus

lying on one side, designated right lateral decubitus when the subject lies on the right side and left lateral decubitus when it lies on the left side.

decubitus ulcer

an ulcer due to local interference with the circulation; called also pressure sore. The ulcer usually occurs over a bony prominence such as that of the sacrum, hip, heel, shoulder or elbow. Excessive or prolonged pressure produced by the weight of the body or limb is the primary cause.

Decubitus ulcer on the elbow of a dog. Bypermission from Slatter D, Textbook of Small Animal Surgery,Saunders, 2002

ventral decubitus

lying on the stomach.

---

ulcer

a local defect, or excavation of the surface of an organ or tissue, produced by sloughing of necrotic inflammatory tissue. They occur in all organs and tissues and are to be found under those headings, e.g. abomasal, corneal, gastric.

---

button ulcer

see button ulcer.

callous ulcer

see set-fast (2).

collagenase ulcer

a rapidly expanding, erosive ('melting') corneal ulcer, seen particularly in brachycephalic breeds of dogs.

Curling's ulcer

acute ulceration of the stomach or duodenum seen after severe burns of the body in humans.

decubitus ulcer

see decubitus ulcer.

dendritic ulcer

linear, branching pattern of ulceration on the cornea; characteristic of herpesvirus infections. See also herpetic keratitis.

eosinophilic ulcer

see eosinophilic ulcer.

gastroduodenal ulcer

common in foals 1-3 months old. Many are asymptomatic. Clinical cases manifest by mild, intermittent colic. See also gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer.

geographic ulcer

a large, superficial, irregularly shaped corneal ulcer, typically formed by the coalescence of several dendritic ulcers.

indolent ulcer

see eosinophilic ulcer, refractory ulcer (below).

infectious dermal ulcer

a systemic, fatal bacteremia of snakes manifested by multiple, small cutaneous ulcers. Called also scale rot.

intestinal ulcer

is rare in all species. When they do occur, intestinal ulcers usually cause signs of chronic enteritis. It is a common lesion in adenocarcinoma of the intestine. See also peptic ulcer.

lip ulcer

see eosinophilic ulcer.

lip and leg ulcer

see ulcerative dermatosis.

melting ulcer

see collagenase ulcer (above).

ulcer mound

a gastric ulcer viewed tangentially radiographically creates a mound in the otherwise smooth outline of radiopaque material in the stomach.

necrotic ulcer of swine

see ulcerative granuloma of swine.

perforating ulcer

one that involves the entire thickness of an organ, creating an opening on both surfaces. See also ulcer perforation.

phagedenic ulcer

a necrotizing lesion in which tissue destruction is prominent.

refractory ulcer

a chronic, superficial corneal ulceration in dogs, particularly common in Boxers, that extends into the superficial stroma, often undermining epithelium at the edges. The cause is unknown but abnormalities of the basal epithelial cells and anterior stroma have been noted. Response to the usual methods of treatment for corneal ulceration is characteristically very slow; superficial keratectomy is the treatment of choice. Called also superficial corneal erosion syndrome, Boxer ulcer.

rodent ulcer

see eosinophilic ulcer.

stress ulcer

superficial ulcerations or erosions of mucosa in the stomach, duodenum or colon. The possible predisposing factors include changes in the microcirculation of the gastric mucosa, increased permeability of the gastric mucosa barrier to H+, and impaired cell proliferation.

stromal ulcer

a corneal ulcer involving the stroma.

trophic ulcer

one due to imperfect nutrition of the part. In dogs, may develop in digital and metatarsal pads in association with tibial nerve injury.

---

decubitus ulcer

Pressure ulcer, see there

---

Patient discussion about decubitus ulcer.

Q. I ask a client's Dr. to script flexaril for a lower back spasm and he made it for a drug called zanaflex? I am unfamiliar with zanaflex, what is the difference between it and flexaril 25mg? Benefits? Risks? I got him to order the air mattress and extended bed because client is 6'3" and is already bedridden on my 1st day..try to beat the skin breakdown, already stage I decubitis ulcers. I tried to talk the client into slideboard and lift away arm wheelchair...noway..he wants to walk bent with a rolling walker. He already had a lift chair delivered, so he just goes from bed to lift chair. He refuses to let me bathe him. He can't see, and he has me check his draw up on insulin to make sure it's right. He sends the P.T. man right back out the door after he signs the sheet. Difficult pt.!

A. Flexeril and Zanaflex are different drugs but are both muscle relaxants. There are hardly any differences between the two, clinically wise. If the doctor thought one is better than the other for your client I would suggest you take his advice and use the one he gave you.