Understanding Pressure Ulcers
I think of pressure ulcers, sometimes called pressure injuries or bedsores, as damage to the skin and the tissue under it. From my experience, these usually appear over bony parts of the body. This happens when pressure, or pressure with a rubbing motion (shear), stops blood flow for too long.
Causes and Risks of Pressure Ulcers
I find that pressure ulcers happen when skin has pressure on it for a long time. This is common over bones such as the tailbone, heels, or hips. If this pressure doesn’t ease up, it cuts off blood flow. Then, the skin and tissue can break down. I believe a mix of pressure and shear raises the risk. Shear is when skin pulls one way and the bone underneath pulls another.
Health Impact of Pressure Ulcers
In my view, pressure ulcers can be very painful and uncomfortable for people. They can also cause bad infections, like cellulitis or sepsis. I’ve seen that treating these wounds can be quite involved. It usually needs more medical care and supplies. This means healthcare costs go up, and people might stay in the hospital longer.
Importance of Prevention
I believe preventing pressure ulcers is very important in healthcare. Hospitals use medical mattresses to help. I recommend them, especially those from reputable medical mattresses manufacturers, because these mattresses spread out body pressure. This really helps lower the risk. Based on my experience, these special surfaces reduce pressure on body parts prone to sores. This makes skin breakdown less likely.
How Alternating Pressure Mattresses Work
I find that alternating pressure mattresses have many air-filled sections. These sections fill with air and then release it, over and over. This design means pressure on any part of the body doesn’t stay the same for too long. I think this is important because it helps protect skin and body tissues from harm.
Key Ways Alternating Pressure Mattresses Work
Air cells fill and empty one after another: The air cells keep changing which body parts they support. In my opinion, this stops pressure from building up too much in one spot.
Helping blood flow: This cycle helps what I sometimes call reactive hyperemia. This boosts blood flow and helps important nutrients get to the body’s tissues. I believe good blood flow is very important. It helps stop pressure sores and helps wounds heal.
Flexible positioning: I’ve noticed these mattresses are different from many others. You can use them when a patient is lying flat or when their head is raised. This flexibility is a real help for patients who need their head up or need to be shifted for their medical care.
Real Benefits I See for Hospitals and Patients
Settings you can change: Caregivers can tweak the mattress’s air cycles. I think this is great because it matches what each patient needs. This makes them more comfortable and helps their care.
Saves money by preventing problems: In my experience, these mattresses help hospitals spend less. They cut down on the need for costly treatments and operations that often come with bad pressure sores.
Easy-to-use design: I find these mattresses are simple to set up. They don’t need much upkeep. This makes care easier for everyone, both the medical team and the patients.
From what I’ve seen, alternating pressure mattresses offer a surface that is always changing. It keeps moving pressure around and helps blood flow. I believe this technology really helps lower the chances of patients getting pressure sores while in the hospital. It also gives patients more flexibility and comfort.
How We Can Prevent Pressure Ulcers: My Advice
Based on my experience, current guidelines emphasize using special medical mattresses and specific care plans. I believe these can reduce how often patients get pressure ulcers in hospitals.
Choosing Medical Mattresses Based on Evidence
High-Specification Mattresses: I recommend that all patients who might get pressure ulcers use these special mattresses or overlays. This includes everyone, from babies to older adults. I think it’s very important if a patient already has an ulcer or needs more help to relieve pressure, as this can make a big difference in their comfort and healing.
Effectiveness of Alternating Pressure Mattresses: I saw a study from an intensive care unit that found some interesting things. They looked at 70 people. Fewer patients got pressure ulcers when they used alternating pressure and low-pressure airflow mattresses. Specifically, only 15 out of 35 patients got ulcers on these types. On standard memory foam mattresses, 18 out of 35 patients got them. Also, when ulcers first appeared, patients on alternating pressure mattresses had fewer of them on average (1.13) than those on foam mattresses (1.22). Based on this, I believe alternating pressure mattresses are great for stopping ulcers before they start. If ulcers have already formed, standard foam options seem to help them heal. It’s good for us to know which mattress helps at which stage to provide the best care.
My Advice on Surface Types
Personalized Support Surface Choice: From what I’ve seen in international advice, when we choose a mattress, we should think about a few things: how much the patient can move, if they are at risk for skin damage from sliding, and where ulcers might pop up or already exist. I recommend considering both powered (active) surfaces that actively change pressure points and non-powered (reactive) ones that respond to body weight, picking the one that fits the patient’s real needs.
Main Types of Surfaces I Suggest:
Alternating pressure air systems
Reactive air surfaces
Special high-quality foam surfaces
Other specialized materials that can adapt to the patient.
I find that each of these types works to spread out body pressure more evenly. Doing this helps blood flow better and can lower the chance of painful tissue damage, which is what we all want to achieve for our patients.
Planning Comprehensive Care
I really recommend using tools to check each patient’s risk for pressure ulcers. After that, we should create a prevention plan that fits their specific needs and situation.
In my view, medical teams should check patients’ risk levels often. Based on what they find, they should then adjust the mattress type, the patient’s turning schedule, and the overall care plan to match the current risk effectively.
Based on my experience, when hospitals follow this advice and use the right medical mattresses, they can greatly reduce how often pressure ulcers happen. This, in turn, helps patients get better outcomes, which is our main goal.