Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Mil Med. 2023 Aug 29;188(9-10):3026-3033. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usac113.
The development of pressure ulcers during aeromedical transport of combat casualties is an issue that continues to exist, especially during long transport flights. This study investigated the potential for a new intervention, an air-inflated insulating mattress pad (IMP) that has a pump system designed to alternate the pressurization of air cells under the patient, thus temporally shifting the pressure concentration locations.
In a repeated measures design study, 12 participants experienced the following four simulated transport conditions, each for 90 minutes: (1) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) litter by itself (control condition), (2) the NATO litter covered with the standard mattress pad (Warrior Evacuation Pad), (3) the NATO litter covered with the air-inflated mattress (IMP), and (4) the NATO litter, covered with the standard mattress pad that was covered by the insulating mattress pad. Peak pressure readings were obtained every 15 seconds under the head, torso, pelvis, legs, and heels.
While both mattress pads significantly reduced the peak pressures relative to the litter-only condition, the new IMP with the alternating cell pressurizations, by itself or in combination with the standard mattress pad, further reduced the peak pressures under the regions with the localized highest pressures, namely the head, pelvis, and heels. Moreover, the IMP with alternating pressure introduced the most variability in the peak pressure readings, which reduces the peak pressure exposure periods for specific tissue locations.
The IMP with alternating cell pressurizations could further reduce the likelihood of pressure injuries during aeromedical transport of combat casualties.
在战斗伤员的航空医疗后送过程中发生压疮是一个持续存在的问题，特别是在长途运输飞行中。本研究调查了一种新干预措施的潜力，一种空气充气绝缘床垫垫（IMP），它具有一个泵系统，旨在交替对患者下方的空气细胞进行加压，从而暂时改变压力集中位置。
在一项重复测量设计研究中，12 名参与者经历了以下四种模拟运输条件，每种条件持续 90 分钟：（1）北约担架本身（对照条件），（2）覆盖标准床垫垫（勇士撤离垫）的北约担架，（3）覆盖充气床垫的北约担架，以及（4）覆盖标准床垫垫的北约担架，该床垫垫被绝缘床垫垫覆盖。在头部、躯干、骨盆、腿部和脚跟下，每隔 15 秒获取一次峰值压力读数。
虽然两种床垫垫都显著降低了与仅担架条件相比的峰值压力，但具有交替细胞加压的新型 IMP，单独使用或与标准床垫垫一起使用，进一步降低了局部压力最高的区域（即头部、骨盆和脚跟）下的峰值压力。此外，具有交替压力的 IMP 引入了峰值压力读数的最大可变性，从而减少了特定组织位置的峰值压力暴露期。
具有交替细胞加压的 IMP 可进一步降低战斗伤员航空医疗后送过程中发生压疮的可能性。
