WIRELESS PRESSURE ULCER ALERT METHODS AND SYSTEMS THEREFOR

摘要

Pressure monitoring methods and systems for warning a patient or caregiver that soft tissue pressure has exceeded some predetermined level that over time would necessitate moving the patient to prevent or at least reduce a risk of soft tissue damage. The methods and systems entail the use of a pressure sensing unit adapted to be applied to or near a surface of the patient's body, and a sensor associated with the sensing unit to generate electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed at the surface. The electrical outputs are wirelessly monitored over a preselected time period to generate a cumulative output signal based on the electrical outputs and corresponding to whether or not the soft tissue pressure has exceeded a predetermined pressure level during the preselected time period. An alarm is generated if the cumulative output signal exceeds a predetermined cumulative threshold until the soft tissue pressure drops below the predetermined pressure level.

主权项

1. A pressure monitoring system for providing a warning to a patient or caregiver that the patient should be moved to at least reduce a risk of soft tissue damage to the patient, the system comprising:
a pressure sensing unit adapted to be applied on or near a surface of the patient's body that is susceptible to damage from soft tissue pressure, the pressure sensing unit comprising at least one sensor configured to generate electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed by the sensor at the surface of the patient's body; means for wirelessly monitoring a plurality of the electrical outputs generated by the sensor; a counter associated with the monitoring means and the sensor that generates a counter value that increases from an initial value while the soft tissue pressure sensed by the sensor exceeds a predetermined pressure level and decreases toward the initial value while the soft tissue pressure sensed by the sensor does not exceed the predetermined pressure level; a display associated with the monitoring means that visually displays the counter value of the sensor and displays a visual warning if the counter value is above the predetermined pressure level; and means for generating an alarm while the counter value exceeds a predetermined counter value.