8/12/2019 Abstract ERU 2013

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NATIONAL ENGINEERING CONFERENCE 2013,19TH

ERUSYMPOSIUM,FACULTY OF ENGINEERING,UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA,SRI LANKA

Design and Development of a Sensorized Pressure Relieving Bed for Preventing

Pressure Ulcers

T D I Udayanga, H L P L Chathuranga, D A M R Fernando, and Prof. Y W R Amarasinghe

Abstract

Pressure Ulcers (also called Pressure Sores or Bed Sore) are injuries to skin and underlying tissues that result from

prolonged pressure on the skin. Bedsores most often develop on skin that covers bony areas of the body, such as the

heel, ankles, hips or buttocks.People most at risk of bedsores are those with a medical condition that limits their ability to change positions, requires

them to use a wheelchair or confines them to a bed for prolonged periods.

It is widely believed that other factors can influence the tolerance of skin for pressure and shear thereby increasing the

risk of pressure ulcer development.

These factors are protein-calorie malnutrition, skin wetness caused by sweating or incontinence, diseases that reduce

blood flow to the skin, such as diseases that reduce the feeling in the skin, such as paralysis or neuropathy. The healingof pressure ulcers may be slowed by the age of the person, medical conditions (such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes or

infection), smoking or medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs.

Bedsores can develop quickly and are often difficult to treat. Several care strategies can help prevent some bedsores and

promote healing. According to a study carried out in 1999 by the Health Council of the Netherlands about PressureUlcers, reveals that costs associated with care of pressure ulcers were the third highest after those for cancer andcardiovascular diseases.

Although many devices have been developed, researchers are still spending their time since there is not an exact

solution for this matter. A review was published in August 2006 by Madhuri Reddy, MD, MSc; Sudeep S. Gill, MD,

MSc; Paula A. Rochon, MD, MPHon the theme of Preventing Pressure Ulcers : A Systematic Review which states

considerable work still must be performed to adequately determine the overall cost-effectiveness of interventions to

prevent pressure ulcers.In this paper, main aim is to analyze the effect of body contact pressure on developing pressure ulcers and use those

data to develop a special bed/mattress which would eventually prevent developing pressure ulcers. FEM analysis should

perform to identify body contact pressure distribution on different orientations using the AnSys Software. This is to

identify the possible orientations which the device should rearrange to relieve the body contact pressure applied for

prolong time. Utilizing a specially designed pressure sensor array real time values of body contact pressure is recorded.

According to these values device would rearrange its orientation to a suitable manner to relieve the pressure applied tothe body for a prolong period of time.