Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
Driving Simulation in the Clinic: Testing Visual Exploratory Behavior in Daily Life Activities in Patients with Visual Field Defects
Published on: September 18, 2012
Does a foamy-block mattress system prevent pressure sores ? A prospective randomised clinical trial in 1729 patients
J V Berthe1, A Bustillo, C Mélot
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Erasme University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. jeberthe@ulb.ac.be
Insights
The Kliniplot mattress, designed to reduce pressure sores, did not lower their occurrence in a clinical trial. However, it did delay the onset of pressure ulcers in patients requiring bed rest.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Clinical Research
- Patient Care Technology
Background:
- Pressure ulcers (bed-sores) are a common complication for patients on bed rest, posing significant hospital health and economic challenges.
- Developing effective, low-cost pressure-relieving systems is crucial for preventing these debilitating conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Kliniplot mattress in preventing pressure ulcers.
- To compare the Kliniplot mattress against standard hospital mattresses for pressure sore prevention.
Main Methods:
- A 7-month prospective randomized controlled trial involving 1729 patients across various medical and surgical departments.
- Comparison of the Kliniplot mattress versus standard hospital mattresses for pressure sore incidence.
- Daily patient monitoring for pressure sore development, excluding patients with pre-existing sores.
Main Results:
- Overall, 2.4% of patients developed pressure sores; 3.2% on the Kliniplot mattress and 1.9% on the standard mattress (p=0.154).
- The Kliniplot mattress significantly delayed the median time to pressure sore occurrence (31 days vs. 18 days, p<0.001).
- No significant differences were found in baseline risk categories or pressure sore severity between the groups.
Conclusions:
- The Kliniplot pressure-decreasing mattress did not reduce the overall incidence of pressure sores.
- The study indicates that the Kliniplot mattress may delay the onset of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients.
Background:
Pressure ulcers are a frequent complication of bed rest. The development of an efficient and low cost pressure relieving system for the prevention of bed-sores would be of considerable hospital health and economic interest. Our study was designed to determine the effectiveness in pressure-sore prevention of an interface pressure-decreasing mattress, the Kliniplot mattress, used in our institution since 1978.
Methods:
In a prospective randomised controlled 7-month clinical trial we compared the Kliniplot mattress with our standard hospital mattress in 1729 patients admitted to medical and surgical departments (neurology, cardiology, oncology-haematology, neurosurgery, thoracic surgery and orthopaedic surgery). Two groups (Klinipot mattress and standard hospital mattress) were monitored for the prevention of pressure sores. The patients were evaluated on a daily basis from their admission until the eventual occurrence of a bed-sore. Patients' characteristics and pressure-sore risk factors were similar at the baseline in both groups. Patients presenting with a pressure sore at the time of admission were excluded.
Results:
Forty-two of the 1729 patients (2.4%) who entered the study developed at least one pressure sore. Twenty-one of the 657 patients (3.2%) nursed on the Kliniplot mattress, and 21 of the 1072 patients (1.9%) on the standard mattress developed bed-sores (p = 0.154). The median time for the occurrence of pressure sores was 31 days (range 6-87) with the Kliniplot mattress and 18 days (range 2 to 38) with the standard mattress (p < 0.001). The risk categories for developing bed-sores using the modified Ek's scale were no different at the baseline between both groups (p = 0.764). The severity of the pressure sores was no different between both groups (p = 0.918).
Conclusions:
Our results show that the occurrence of pressure sores is not reduced but is delayed when patients are nursed on a Kliniplot pressure-decreasing mattress.
Related Concept Videos
02:30Naturalistic Observations
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood