720724AeroPlus Pressure Ulcer Care Recliner device for Plus sized usersClosedGRD Development of PrototypeInnovate UKPressure ulcers (PUs) develop when pressure, shear, friction, or excess moisture and heat is applied to skin, disrupting blood flow and breaking down the skin & underlying tissue. In the UK >700,000 people per year are affected by PUs costing the NHS £2.8Bn pa.(1) Many people at risk of developing PUs, specifically elderly or ‘plus sized’ people (also defined as obese, morbidly obese or bariatric) with reduced mobility, increased metabolic needs and different adipose tissue composition. The impact of excessive moisture and heat at the skin is of particular concern for plus sized people (2,5). Plus size people often use a recliner as their main domestic furniture for rest & sleep, as lying flat may compromise their resting breathing (Muir and Rush,19). Currently, there are no commercially available pressure redistributing devices (PRDs) for use on Recliners that have intrinsic microclimate control properties. In this 18 month, £249k Development of Prototype project, Medstrom will learn from the TSB AeroSpacer overlay project (ML720552) to develop a prototype that deals with the very different needs of plus size people, providing pressure reduction and maintaining optimal skin condition. The AeroSpacer mattress provides microclimate control due to its pressure-relieving core being manufactured from an innovative, 3D-knit spacer fabric, this enables transfer of air via patient movement or when air is driven air through it. The core is covered with a moisturevapour permeable fabric that enables moisture to move away from the skin. The entire unit benefits from being fully washable. These features are unique in this type of device. Conservative sales projections indicate that 9% of all Bariatric Recliners could be fitted with an AeroSpacer Plus (AS+) within 5 years of project close; if the AS+ prevented PU formation in 10% of the plus sized population (PSP) then a cost saving of £5.2M per year would be derived for the UK(1)