Related Experiment Videos
Comparison of interface pressures in the pediatric population among various support surfaces
Kathleen M McLane1, Thomas A Krouskop, Shannon McCord
1Texas Children's Hospital, 10615 Candlewood, Houston, TX 77042, USA. kmclane2001@yahoo.com
Insights
The Delta Foam overlay, alone or with a Gel-E-Donut pillow, effectively reduces interface pressures in children. This support surface is a cost-effective option for preventing pressure injuries.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Pediatric Care
- Rehabilitation Technology
Background:
- Support surfaces are crucial for preventing pressure injuries in children.
- Evaluating the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of various support surfaces is essential for optimal patient outcomes.
- Interface pressure measurement provides objective data on the effectiveness of support surfaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess interface pressures under bony prominences in children using different support surfaces.
- To determine the most effective and cost-efficient support surfaces for pressure reduction in pediatric patients.
- To compare the performance of various support surfaces, including foam overlays and air-loss beds.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study design was employed.
- Fifty-four healthy children aged 0-16 years were recruited from the community.
- Interface pressures were measured using the Mini-Texas Interface Pressure Evaluator on five different support surface combinations.
Main Results:
- Standard hospital mattresses resulted in the highest interface pressures.
- The Delta Foam overlay, with or without the Gel-E-Donut pillow, achieved the lowest occipital pressures across all age groups.
- The Delta Foam overlay demonstrated comparable performance to the Efica low-air-loss bed for coccygeal and heel pressures.
Conclusions:
- The Delta Foam overlay, alone or combined with the Gel-E-Donut pillow, is a cost-effective and therapeutic choice for reducing interface pressures in children.
- These findings support the use of the Delta Foam overlay as a beneficial intervention for pressure injury prevention in pediatric populations.
- The study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate support surfaces based on pressure reduction efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interface pressures under the bony prominences of children on several support surfaces to evaluate benefit, in terms of the lowest interface pressures, and cost-effectiveness.
Design:
A descriptive study design was used.
Setting/Subjects:
A convenience sample of 54 healthy children from the community ranging in age from infancy through 16 years was enrolled through advertisements in the hospital newsletter. The study was conducted in the General Clinical Research Center located within Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.
Instruments:
The instrument used to measure the interface pressures was the Mini-Texas Interface Pressure Evaluator.
Methods:
A comparison was done to evaluate interface pressures under the occiput for infants to children younger than 6 years of age and under the occiput, coccyx, and heel for 6- to 18-year-olds. Five surface combinations were used for measurements: a standard hospital bed or crib mattress; mattress with Delta foam overlay; a mattress with a Gel-E-Donut pillow; a mattress with a Delta foam overlay plus Gel-E-Donut pillow; and an Efica low-air-loss bed.
Results:
The standard hospital mattress yielded the highest interface pressures. The Delta Foam overlay alone or in combination with the Gel-E-Donut pillow produced the lowest occipital pressures in all age groups. The Delta foam overlay produced comparable pressures to the Efica low-air-loss bed when measuring the coccyx and heel interface pressures.
Conclusions:
The Delta Foam overlay alone or in combination with the Gel-E-Donut pillow is a cost-effective and therapeutic choice for pressure reduction as demonstrated in this study of healthy children.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Pressure Relationships in Thoracic Cavity
Breathing Mechanisms
Both intra-alveolar and intrapleural pressures rely on specific lung properties. The ability to breathe—allowing air to enter the lungs during...
01:21Sites for measuring blood pressure
The Brachial Artery: Primary Site for Blood Pressure Measurement