Bedrail‐related rhabdomyolysis caused by abdominal wall injury

Abstract

A 77-year-old woman with a residual right hemiparesis following a subarachnoid hemorrhage was found lying over a bedrail at home. She lived alone, and we suspect that she was reaching for the telephone when she fell over the bedrail. Her right flank was red and swollen. Abdominal computed tomography showed marked swelling of the muscles of the right lateral abdominal wall. She had an established rhabdomyolysis compressed by the bedrail and acute renal failure. This case illustrated bedrail-related rhabdomyolysis caused by abdominal wall injury. The use of bedrails is a risk of the injury for the frail elderly people and should be avoided to prevent bedrail-related injuries. Health professionals should consider home environmental factors so that the frail elderly people can easily move and carry out their daily life activities.

Bedrails and Falls in Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review

“…Weaker evidence rejecting the use of bedrails include: a qualitative study by Fonad et al (2008a), and case studies from Yabe et al (2007) and Terranova et al (2012). Staff interviewed in Fonad et al (2008a) mentioned there was a risk of patients climbing over bedrails at night.…”

“…Staff interviewed in Fonad et al (2008a) mentioned there was a risk of patients climbing over bedrails at night. The studies by Yabe et al (2007) and Terranova et al (2012) exemplified the potential risk for patients climbing over bedrails and the consequence of falls. These case studies presented an elderly individual who fell after climbing over their bedrails.…”

“…Many of the records supported that injuries were more detrimental to the patients when falls occurred with bedrail use. In the most severe cases, as reported by Yabe et al (2007) and Terranova et al (2012), falls with bedrails were implicated in the cause of death.…”