What are the common complications of paraplegic patients

Paraplegic patients are not uncommon in life. There are many factors that cause paraplegia, and the impact on the lives of paraplegic patients is also very great. Many people develop mental illness because they cannot accept the result of paraplegia. In addition to mental illness, other diseases may also cause many complications, so patients should pay special attention to care and prevention. So what are the common complications in paraplegic patients?

1. Lung infection

Paraplegic patients suffer from lung obstruction due to blood stasis and qi stagnation after injury. The qi cannot be promoted and descended, and turbid evil gathers inside, blocking the airway, making breathing difficult and easily causing lung infection. Special attention should be paid during nursing operations, such as protecting the patient during defecation, turning over, and changing dressings to prevent invasion of external evils, and turning over and tapping the back frequently to promote expectoration.

2. Loss of motor function

Due to bed rest and loss of sensory and motor functions, paraplegic patients are prone to bedsores in pressure areas, such as the sacrum, greater trochanter of the femur, heels, lateral malleolus, scapula, etc., which lead to local pressure disorders, blood circulation disorders, stagnation of qi and blood, and blocked meridians. Take nursing measures, turn the patient over regularly, and create a turning record card to reduce long-term local pressure. Keep the bed clean and dry, soft and free of debris, and change the sheets frequently. Increase nutrition to strengthen the body, take good care of the skin, massage with 50% ethanol or safflower oil, follow basic nursing standards, and activate blood circulation and enhance skin resistance.

3. Inability to urinate on your own

Since paraplegic patients cannot urinate on their own, urine is retained in the bladder and they need a urinary catheter. If they are not properly cared for, pathogens will take advantage of the opportunity to enter the body and urinary tract infection is likely to occur. If the infection recurs, it will lead to substantial kidney damage and the consequences will be disastrous. Nursing measures: Strictly follow aseptic techniques during catheterization, and wipe the urethral opening with iodine cotton balls every day; encourage patients to drink more water to facilitate urination, which in turn also has the effect of flushing the bladder; encourage and assist patients to change body positions.