A sacral pressure sore is a deep wound over the lower back and tailbone. This page explains when sacral pressure sore surgery is advised, how the wound is closed with a flap, and what recovery asks of you.
Sacral pressure sore surgery removes dead tissue from a deep wound over the tailbone and covers it with healthy tissue moved from nearby, usually a flap. It is advised when a sore reaches fat, muscle or bone and will not close with dressings. Pressure relief, nutrition and careful positioning afterwards matter as much as the operation.
Pressure sores form when skin and the tissue under it are squeezed against a bone for too long. The sacrum, the flat bone at the base of the spine, takes much of the load when a person lies or sits for long periods. Blood supply falls, tissue dies, and a wound opens that often looks small on the surface while being far larger underneath.
Surgery is considered when the sore is deep, when bone is exposed, or when months of dressings have not worked. The first job is to clear away all dead tissue and any infected bone. Only then can the cavity be measured properly, because a flap has to fill space as well as cover skin.
Healthy tissue with its own blood supply is rotated in from the buttock or a nearby area to fill and close the wound. Because this tissue arrives with good circulation, it stands up to pressure better than a graft would. Success depends heavily on relieving pressure afterwards, so a turning routine and the right mattress are planned with you and your carers before the operation.
Blood tests, nutrition and sugar levels are reviewed, and swabs guide antibiotics. Pressure relief and a turning plan are arranged first, because a flap placed on an unrelieved area is likely to break down.
All dead skin, fat and unhealthy tissue is removed under anaesthesia, and infected bone is trimmed back. True cavity size only becomes clear once this clearance is complete.
Tissue near the wound is marked that can be moved while keeping its own blood supply. The design allows for a further flap later, should the sore ever return.
A flap is rotated in to fill the cavity and close the skin without tension. Small drains are usually placed so fluid does not collect underneath the repair.
You are nursed off the operated area on a suitable mattress. Sitting is reintroduced slowly, and the wound is reviewed at each visit until it has fully settled.
You lie off the operated area, often on your side or front. Drains, pain relief and fluids are managed by the ward team while the flap settles.
Drains come out as output falls and the wound is inspected regularly. Nutrition is encouraged, since healing needs protein and calories.
Sitting time is built up in short, planned periods with skin checks in between. Many people reach their usual seating routine over these weeks.
The repair feels sturdier. Daily skin checks, a good cushion or mattress and regular position changes protect against a new sore.
These wounds are difficult by nature, and the risks are set out plainly before you decide.
Price depends on the depth of the sore, how many cleaning sittings are needed before closure, the type of flap chosen, and the length of hospital stay. Nursing care, a pressure relieving mattress, nutrition support and dressings add to the total. A written estimate is shared once the wound has been examined, along with help on mediclaim paperwork.
These are the questions that come up most often in consultation. If yours is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the team will reply, usually the same day.
Ask your question →Admission for a deep pressure sore is usually treated as medical care rather than cosmetic, so most policies consider it. Exact cover depends on your plan, waiting periods and room choice. The billing desk assists with preauthorisation and gives a written estimate beforehand.
Timing depends on the wound, not the calendar. Infection must settle, dead tissue must be cleared and nutrition improved before closure is attempted. Rushing to close an unprepared wound often ends in the repair breaking down, so preparation is given proper time.
Anaesthesia and surgery are planned around your general health, and a physician review is arranged when needed. Risks rise with poor nutrition, uncontrolled sugar or chest problems, so those are improved first. Surgery is offered only when the likely benefit outweighs the risk.
Sitting is restricted at first so the repair is not loaded. Short periods are introduced gradually under guidance, and the skin is checked after each one. Many people return to a normal seating routine over several weeks, though this varies with healing.
It can, especially if pressure relief slips. A flap gives sturdy cover, yet no repair survives long periods of unrelieved pressure. Regular turning, a suitable cushion or mattress and daily skin checks make a real difference to the long term result.
People whose infection is controlled, whose nutrition is reasonable and who have a workable pressure relief plan at home tend to do best. Shallow wounds may need only dressings and positioning. Suitability is decided after examination and blood tests.
The sore is examined and its depth assessed, sometimes with a scan. Blood tests check nutrition, sugar and infection markers. Your daily routine, seating and home support are discussed, and you leave with a written plan and estimate.
Seeing patients from across the city and beyond: read about the practice on the plastic surgeon in Surat page, or check what a written estimate covers on the costs and insurance page.
