Patient-orienting alternating pressure decubitus prevention support apparatus

Abstract

Described herein are systems and apparatuses for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. In particular, the ulcer prevention systems and/or apparatuses disclosed herein prevent or otherwise mitigate pressure ulcers by actively orienting a patient over an anatomy-specific pressure-mitigating contact surface on which the patient rests. A pressure-mitigating contact portion of the contact surface includes a plurality of independently pressurized chambers configured in a specific geometric pattern that is designed to mitigate contact pressure between a support surface (e.g., table or chair) and a specific anatomic region of a patient's body when the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is oriented over an epicenter of the geometric pattern. A plurality of elevated side support portions are interconnected on the base material and configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A contact pressure-mitigation support apparatus comprising:
 a base material;   a pressure-mitigating contact portion including a plurality of independently pressurized relief chambers interconnected on the base material, wherein the independently pressurized relief chambers are configured in a geometric pattern that mitigates contact pressure between a support surface and a specific anatomic region of a patient's body when pressure in the independently pressurized relief chambers is alternated and the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is oriented over an epicenter of the geometric pattern; and   a plurality of elevated side support portions interconnected on the base material, wherein the elevated side support portions are configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the contact pressure between the support surface and the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is mitigated by alternating the pressure in one or more of the plurality of independently pressurized relief chambers. 
     
     
         3 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elevated side support portions are configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern when pressurized. 
     
     
         4 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more straps interconnected on the base material, wherein the one or more straps are configured to secure the pressure mitigation support apparatus to the support surface.   
     
     
         5 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a position sensor interconnected on the base material, the position sensor configured to confirm that the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.   
     
     
         6 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) transceiver interconnected on the base material and configured to wirelessly transmit the confirmation that the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.   
     
     
         7 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-mitigating contact portion is contoured to fit the patient's surface topography in the sacral region. 
     
     
         8 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein to fit the patient's surface topography the plurality of independently pressurized relief chambers are shorter in height in the center of the pressure-mitigating contact portion and taller in height on the edges of the pressure-mitigating contact portion. 
     
     
         9 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a surface area of the pressure-mitigating contact portion is designed to match the size of contact with the specific anatomic region of the patient's body. 
     
     
         10 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a surface area of the pressure-mitigating contact portion is less than the size of contact with the specific anatomic region of the patient's body. 
     
     
         11 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the length and the width of the pressure-mitigating contact portion are between fifteen and thirty inches. 
     
     
         12 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elevated side support portions are elevated two or more inches in vertical height above the average surface height of the pressure-mitigating contact portion. 
     
     
         13 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the side support portions comprise independently pressurized chambers. 
     
     
         14 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the side support portions include a recess to support the patient's elbow. 
     
     
         15 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the independently pressurized relief chambers are configured to be independently pressurized with a gas. 
     
     
         16 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the independently pressurized chambers are configured to be independently pressurized with a liquid. 
     
     
         17 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support surface comprises a mattress. 
     
     
         18 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the specific anatomic region of the patient's body comprises the sacral region. 
     
     
         19 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern, the plurality of side support portions are configured to confine lateral movement of the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern, the epicenter of the geometric pattern is overlaid on a V-shape in the support surface. 
     
     
         21 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomic region of the patient's body is segmented into various sub-regions and the geometric pattern is configured such that each of the independently pressurized chambers correspond to one of the various sub-regions. 
     
     
         22 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the independently pressurized chambers fit to the corresponding sub-region. 
     
     
         23 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the geometric pattern is symmetric and non-repeating in nature. 
     
     
         24 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more channel tubes interconnected on the base material, the channel tubes configured to deliver pressure to the independently pressurized relief chambers.   
     
     
         25 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more channel tubes follow seams between the independently pressurized relief chambers. 
     
     
         26 . The contact pressure mitigation support apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the seams are recessed between the independently pressurized relief chambers when one or more of the independently pressurized relief chambers is pressurized. 
     
     
         27 . A partial body alternating contact pressure mattress overlay device comprising:
 a plurality of independently pressurized chambers configured in a geometric pattern that mitigates contact pressure between a support surface and a specific anatomic region of a patient's body when the specific anatomic region is oriented over an epicenter of the geometric pattern;   a plurality of elevated side support portions interconnected on the base material, wherein the elevated side support portions are configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region over the epicenter of the geometric pattern; and   one or more straps configured to secure the pressure mitigation support device to the support surface.   
     
     
         28 . The partial body alternating contact pressure mattress overlay device of  claim 27 , the device further comprising:
 a radio frequency identification (RFID) detector configured to configured to detect whether the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.   
     
     
         29 . The partial body alternating contact pressure mattress overlay device of  claim 27 , the device further comprising:
 one or more pressure sensors configured to detect the real-time pressure of each of the independently pressurized chambers.   
     
     
         30 . An alternating contact pressure mattress comprising:
 a mattress;   a pressure-mitigating contact portion including a plurality of independently pressurized relief chambers interconnected on the mattress, wherein the independently pressurized relief chambers are configured in a geometric pattern that mitigates contact pressure between a support surface and a specific anatomic region of a patient's body when the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is oriented over an epicenter of the geometric pattern; and   a plurality of elevated side support portions interconnected on the mattress, wherein the elevated side support portions are configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.   
     
     
         31 . A contact pressure mitigation system comprising:
 a pressure-mitigating support apparatus including a base material, a pressure-mitigating contact portion including a plurality of independently pressurized relief chambers interconnected on the base material, wherein the independently pressurized relief chambers are configured in a geometric pattern that mitigates contact pressure between a support surface and a specific anatomic region of a patient's body when the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is oriented over an epicenter of the geometric pattern, and a plurality of elevated side support portions interconnected on the base material, wherein the elevated side support portions are configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern; and   a controller configured to regulate the pressure of each of the independently pressurized relief chambers.   
     
     
         32 . A contact pressure-mitigation support apparatus comprising:
 a base material;   a pressure-mitigating contact portion including a plurality of independently pressurized relief chambers interconnected on the base material, wherein the independently pressurized relief chambers are configured in a geometric pattern that mitigates contact pressure between a support surface and a specific anatomic region of a patient's body when pressure in the independently pressurized relief chambers is alternated and the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is oriented over an epicenter of the geometric pattern; and   a biocompatible adhesive portion interconnected on the base material, wherein the biocompatible adhesive portion is configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.   
     
     
         33 . The contact pressure-mitigation support apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the biocompatible adhesive portion extends along at least a section of the perimeter of the contact pressure-mitigation support apparatus. 
     
     
         34 . The contact pressure-mitigation support apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the biocompatible adhesive portion extends along at least a section of one or more of the plurality of the independently pressurized relief chambers.