Characteristics of trochanteric pressure sore and its surgical treatments

It is characteristic that trochanteric pressure sore has usually other pressure sores and pocket under muscles enlarges by synovial bursitis. Accordingly, the operative method must be chosen under overall treatment planning. Flaps for covering trochanteric pressure sores are grouped into the fasciocutaneous and musculocutaneous flaps. We discussed various flaps and their indications. We used fasciocutaneous flaps such as the supratrochanteric flap, infratrochanteric flap and lateral femoral flap to trochanteric pressure sores that had shallow and flat ulcers. On the other hand, we applied the gluteus maximus musculocutaneous flap to trochanteric pressure sores that had exposed bone of the greater trochanter in the ulcer or a large pocket under muscles. The tensor fasciae latae musculocutaneous flap has little merit for the coverage and the distal based gluteus maximus musculocutaneous flap is assumed to be the first choice.