WHAT do you call this?

[regnurse1995]

I am not a wocn, but have wound experience from a clinic. I am now the wound nurse at a skilled/hospital/rehab.

I am seeing several patients with sores on the intergluteal cleft/crack. The nurses are calling them stage II when I am not sure if the cause is from being picked up by their pants to transfer.

How do you know the difference from a stage II and traumatic.

What do you all call an open sore to the crack. It looks like a long skinny skin tear just along the crack.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

too much moisture, either incontinence or sweat....leave ota as much as possible

i would think the "pulling up by pants" would produce some abrasion? However if this is a possibility at all, remedial gait belt classes would seem a good idea and it will seem like you are doing something...

[ctowles72]

I find that working in Long term care that the coccyx wound is usually caused by sitting too high in bed and sliding down. I do Stage them as a 2 pressure sore. Duoderm usual does the trick.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

I find that working in Long term care that the coccyx wound is usually caused by sitting too high in bed and sliding down. I do Stage them as a 2 pressure sore. Duoderm usual does the trick.

i am thinking that would be more sacral....

[NursSherri]

generally gluteal cleft wounds that are linear in this way are caused from moisture, and would be classified as moisture associated damage. We use Molnlycke's silicone foam dressings for all coccyx/sacral surface wounds. you could use foam, or hydrocolloid if that is what you use. Or, you can use a barrier film in that area.

[wound warrier]

These gluteal wounds sound more like a fissure that is caused by grabbing the patient's buttocks to turn the patient and therefore causing the shin to split open.

[NursSherri]

Of course, it is important to look at the individuals in this case....one can only assume from the information given here. I don't usually see skin just tearing from moving the pt right in the gluteal cleft. I would look at what is the common denominator in these patients. Incontinence? Bedbound? Fully dependent? Playing detective is key!