Fluid supply control for patient support surface

• US 9,030,331 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Lachenbruch, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US14/019,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20140007346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.7, 340/575, 340/626, 340/665, 340/666, 340/667, 340/686.1, 324/204, 324/442, 324/639, 542/1, 542/3, 570/6, 571/0, 571/3, 572/7, 573/7, 574/0, 731/72
• US Class Current: 340/665
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/029 Humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/32 for force
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05 Parts, details or accessories of beds devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 ; mattresses A47C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0525 Side-bolsters rests specially adapted for beds A61G7/065; non-medical devices for prevention against falling-out A47C21/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05738 with fluid-like particles, e.g. sand, mud, seeds, gel, beads
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05746 fluidised by air flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05784 with ventilating means, e.g. mattress or cushion with ventilating holes or ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05792 with low air loss function, e.g. in mattresses, overlays or beds

Abstract

A control system of a patient support surface calculates a surface performance index as a function of pressure and shear. The control system also receives information from an electronic medical record (EMR) corresponding to a person'"'"'s susceptibility of developing at least one of a pressure ulcer and a superficial lesion and adjusts at least one of a component and a characteristic of the person support surface based on the information.

Claims

1. A person support surface comprising

at least one inflatable bladder,

a low air loss topper including a portion above the at least one inflatable bladder, and

a control system including a plurality of sensors that generate data signals indicative of a characteristic of the at least one inflatable bladder and a person'"'"'s tissue supported above the low air loss topper, a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the processor being configured to execute operating logic to determine a surface performance index as a function of the data signals, and a fluid supply coupled to the at least one inflatable bladder and to the low air loss topper, the processor controlling the operation of the fluid supply to deliver fluid flow through the low air loss topper as a function of the surface performance index to control at least one of convective evaporation and diffusive evaporation.

2. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the control system is coupled to an electronic medical record (EMR) over a network and receives information from the EMR for use by the processor in controlling the operation of the fluid supply.

3. The person support surface of claim 2, wherein the information includes a Braden score.

4. The person support surface of claim 2, wherein the information includes at least one of pressure ulcer history and superficial lesion history.

5. The person support surface of claim 2, wherein the information includes at least one of height and weight.

6. The person support surface of claim 2, wherein the information includes an identification of the person'"'"'s medication.

7. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the surface performance index is a function of interface pressure, shear, and temperature.

8. The person support surface of claim 7, wherein the control system receives information regarding ambient conditions proximate the person support surface and the control system modifies the contributions of interface pressure, shear, and temperature to the surface performance index as a function of the information regarding the ambient conditions.

9. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the processor uses a look up table to determine the surface performance index.

10. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to adjust at least one of an operating parameter and characteristic of a therapy delivered by the fluid supply via the at least one inflatable bladder.

11. The person support surface of claim 10, wherein the therapy comprises at least one of low air loss therapy, percussion vibration therapy, and continuous lateral rotation therapy.

12. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the control system alerts a caregiver if the fluid supply is unable to be operated to achieve the surface performance index.

13. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the at least one inflatable air bladder comprises a plurality of inflatable air bladder that are grouped into zones, each zone being inflated by the fluid supply so as to achieve different surface performance indexes.

14. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the control system operates to adjust a first pressure in the at least one air bladder to a second pressure, the second pressure being configured to lower the combined score (P²+S²)^1/2 in which P corresponds to a pressure measurement and S corresponds to a shear measurement.

15. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein at least one of a temperature, humidity, and flow rate of the fluid supplied by the fluid supply is adjustable.

16. The person support surface of claim 15, wherein at least two of a temperature, humidity, and flow rate of the fluid supplied by the fluid supply is adjustable.

17. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a pressure sensor, a shear sensor and a temperature sensor.

18. The person support surface of claim 17, wherein the plurality of sensors further comprise a humidity sensor.

19. The person support surface of claim 1, wherein the at least one bladder comprises a topper that extends over substantially an entire length and width of the person support surface.

20. A person support surface comprising

at least one inflatable bladder,

a cover including a portion above the at least one inflatable bladder, and

a control system including a plurality of sensors that generate data signals indicative of a characteristic of the at least one inflatable bladder and a person'"'"'s tissue contacting the cover, a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the processor being configured to execute operating logic to determine a surface performance index as a function of the data signals, and a fluid supply coupled to the at least one inflatable bladder, the processor controlling the operation of the fluid supply as a function of the surface performance index, wherein the processor uses the following equation to determine the surface performance index: