E-textile solution for the early detection and prevention of pressure sores
Lead Participant:
INFI-TEX LTD
Abstract
**A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT AND A MASSIVE BURDEN ON HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS**
Pressure ulcers (PU) develop when a large amount of pressure is applied to an area of skin over a short period of time. The extra pressure disrupts the blood flow and the affected skin becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients, which causes it to break down and ulcers begin to form. Most affected are those aged over 75 as their skin becomes thinner and frailer. They occur in people confined to a bed or a chair. PU represent a major burden of sickness and reduced quality of life for people and their carers.
PU affect up to **2.5 million people per year**, and related costs range from **£1.4 to £2.1 billion annually** in the UK (4% of total NHS expenditure) and from $9.1 to $11.6 billion annually in the US. Cost drivers in the treatment of pressure ulcers are: nursing time for wound care, nursing time for patient position changes, wound dressings, and other advanced wound care products (specialty beds/mattresses, creams, ointments, antibiotics to treat blood poisoning-sepsis, cellulitis, osteomyelitis), surgical debridement/treatment: high pressure water jets, ultrasound, surgery with/without anaesthetics as well as various surgery related risks: infections, abscesses, deep vein thrombosis,...). Complications from PU include pain, scarring, infection, prolonged rehabilitation, and permanent disability. PU can lead to life-threatening complications such as blood poisoning or gangrene and can be very debilitating for the patient.
**95% of PU** are largely preventable. As the population ages, the percent of people at risk for developing PU is growing exponentially, thus increasing **the demand for early stage detection and prevention**. Current strategies for the prevention of PU are repositioning and use of costly low friction bedsheets or gel/air filled mattresses. Evidence to support the use of a standard repositioning regimen to prevent pressure ulcers is low and optimal positions or repositioning frequency cannot be generalised as they can vary a lot from a person to another.
In this project, Infi-tex aim to develop the first smart bed underlay capable of continuously measuring and recording pressure forces and sending the data to a smartphone to alert the companion app of pressure distribution. Our technology will allow for a specific early detection of PU before any visible sign develops and send notifications to the patient or carer to deal with it before it progresses any further.
Infi-tex will use its proprietary conductive ink printed onto a textile sheet to develop, prototype, test /optimise and validate the first smart bed underlay capable of detecting change of pressure ( movement ) or lack of movement to prevent formation of Pressure Ulcers.
Infi-tex is aiming to develop an affordable , simple and user-friendly product that can be easily adopted by care homes, hospitals and individuals.
Pressure ulcers (PU) develop when a large amount of pressure is applied to an area of skin over a short period of time. The extra pressure disrupts the blood flow and the affected skin becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients, which causes it to break down and ulcers begin to form. Most affected are those aged over 75 as their skin becomes thinner and frailer. They occur in people confined to a bed or a chair. PU represent a major burden of sickness and reduced quality of life for people and their carers.
PU affect up to **2.5 million people per year**, and related costs range from **£1.4 to £2.1 billion annually** in the UK (4% of total NHS expenditure) and from $9.1 to $11.6 billion annually in the US. Cost drivers in the treatment of pressure ulcers are: nursing time for wound care, nursing time for patient position changes, wound dressings, and other advanced wound care products (specialty beds/mattresses, creams, ointments, antibiotics to treat blood poisoning-sepsis, cellulitis, osteomyelitis), surgical debridement/treatment: high pressure water jets, ultrasound, surgery with/without anaesthetics as well as various surgery related risks: infections, abscesses, deep vein thrombosis,...). Complications from PU include pain, scarring, infection, prolonged rehabilitation, and permanent disability. PU can lead to life-threatening complications such as blood poisoning or gangrene and can be very debilitating for the patient.
**95% of PU** are largely preventable. As the population ages, the percent of people at risk for developing PU is growing exponentially, thus increasing **the demand for early stage detection and prevention**. Current strategies for the prevention of PU are repositioning and use of costly low friction bedsheets or gel/air filled mattresses. Evidence to support the use of a standard repositioning regimen to prevent pressure ulcers is low and optimal positions or repositioning frequency cannot be generalised as they can vary a lot from a person to another.
In this project, Infi-tex aim to develop the first smart bed underlay capable of continuously measuring and recording pressure forces and sending the data to a smartphone to alert the companion app of pressure distribution. Our technology will allow for a specific early detection of PU before any visible sign develops and send notifications to the patient or carer to deal with it before it progresses any further.
Infi-tex will use its proprietary conductive ink printed onto a textile sheet to develop, prototype, test /optimise and validate the first smart bed underlay capable of detecting change of pressure ( movement ) or lack of movement to prevent formation of Pressure Ulcers.
Infi-tex is aiming to develop an affordable , simple and user-friendly product that can be easily adopted by care homes, hospitals and individuals.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| INFI-TEX LTD | £80,050 | £ 80,050 |
Participant |
||
| INNOVATE UK |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Myra Waiman (Project Manager) |