| 摘要 |
<p>A patient support structure such as a cushion or mattress comprises a body of supporting foam material (20) encapsulated by sheet material such as polyurethane to form a closed chamber. Pressure sensors (26) are disposed with the body of supporting foam material and a valve is provided to allow passage of air into and out of the chamber. An output device is connectable to the sensors and provides an audible or visual warning when the pressure sensors experience a predetermined pressure. When a patient is supported by the structure, the valve is opened gradually to allow the expulsion of air from the chamber until the predetermined pressure is reached and the warning signal is provided, at which point the valve is closed. The pressure is set to be the optimum for reducing the risk or occurrence of pressure sores in the patient.</p> |
