OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy difference between encircling needling combined with physical factor therapy and simple physical factor therapy for severe pressure sore, and to explore the optimal method for severe pressure sores.

METHODSThirty-four patients with IV-grade pressure sore were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 17 cases in each one. Patients in the control group were treated with conventional nursing, ultrasonic wave and short-wave ultraviolet therapy; additionally, the encircling needling was applied in the observation group. All the treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week, and 4-week treatment constituted one session. Totally, two sessions of treatment were performed. Three indices, including the area of pressure sore, 24-h volume of exudates and wound-bed tissue type, were compared between the two groups before and after treatment; the clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment of one session and two sessions, the area of pressure sore, 24-h volume of exudates and wound-bed tissue type were significantly reduced in the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), which was more obvious in the observation group (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 76.5% (13/17) after 1 session and 94.1% (16/17) after 2 sessions, which were superior to 35.3% (6/17) after 1 session and 64.7% (11/17) after 2 sessions in the control group (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEncircling needling combined with physical factor therapy can obviously reduce the pressure sore area and 24-h volume of exudates and improve wound-bed tissue type, which is superior to simple physical factor therapy.