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Related Experiment Videos

Full-body interface pressure testing as a method for performance evaluation of clinical support surfaces

F Shelton1, R Barnett, E Meyer

  • 1Hill-Rom Co. Inc., Batesville, IN 47006, USA.

Applied Ergonomics
|October 31, 1998
PubMed
Summary

A new Pressure Index (P(index)) method accurately evaluates clinical support surfaces for reducing pressure ulcers. Low-airloss surfaces performed best, while standard innerspring mattresses performed worst in this study.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Materials Science
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Pressure ulcers are a significant clinical problem, necessitating improved evaluation methods for support surfaces.
  • Current methods for assessing clinical support surfaces lack a comprehensive approach to pressure distribution analysis.
  • Designers require reliable tools to develop surfaces that effectively mitigate pressure ulcer incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and validate a novel Pressure Index (P(index)) for evaluating clinical support surface performance.
  • To integrate user representation and clinical simulation parameters into a single-value mean pressure index.
  • To assess the accuracy and repeatability of the developed mean pressure index in predicting surface efficacy.

Main Methods:

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  • Defined a Pressure Index (P(index)) based on analytical equations evaluating average, peak, and magnitude of interface pressures.
  • Incorporated subject representation and head-of-bed elevation parameters into the P(index) to create a mean pressure index.
  • Tested and compared three distinct support surfaces (innerspring, foam, low-airloss) using the developed evaluation method.

    • Main Results:

    • The mean pressure index demonstrated accuracy and reproducibility in evaluating the tested surfaces.
    • Low-airloss surfaces exhibited superior performance in pressure reduction compared to foam and innerspring mattresses.
    • Standard hospital innerspring mattresses showed the poorest performance in pressure reduction (p < 0.0001).

    Conclusions:

    • The developed mean pressure index is a valid and reproducible method for assessing clinical support surface performance.
    • This index provides a valuable tool for designers aiming to reduce pressure ulcer incidence.
    • The findings highlight significant performance differences among common clinical support surfaces, guiding material selection and design improvements.