Systems And Methods For Managing Pressure Experienced By A Person Supported On A Support Surface

Abstract

A system for monitoring medical conditions including pressure ulcers, pressure-induced ischemia and related medical conditions comprises at least one sensor adapted to detect one or more patient characteristic including at least position, orientation, temperature, acceleration, moisture, resistance, stress, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood oxygenation, a host for processing the data received from the sensors together with historical patient data to develop an assessment of patient condition and suggested course of treatment. In some embodiments, the system can further include a support surface having one or more sensors incorporated therein either in addition to sensors affixed to the patient or as an alternative thereof. The sensor can include bi-axial or tri-axial accelerometers, as well as resistive, inductive, capactive, magnetic and other sensing devices, depending on whether the sensor is located on the patient or the support surface, and for what purpose. Compensation for errors introduced because of chest angle or slope can be automatically performed.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A system for managing surface pressure experienced by a person's body, the system comprising:
 a support surface configured to support the person's body, wherein the support system comprises:
 an array of gas-filled chambers arranged in an array; 
 a plurality of sensors associated with the array of gas-filled chambers and configured to generate sensor signals representing a measure of force imparted by the person's body on each respective gas-filled chamber; 
   a controller associated with the support surface and configured to adjust a gas pressure in at least one of the array of gas-filled chambers based at least on the sensor signals generated by at least one of the plurality of sensors.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the array of gas-filled chambers comprise air-filled chambers. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the array of gas-filled chambers are arranged in a support surface plane, and each gas-filled chamber has an elongated column shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the support surface plane. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine an increased force imparted by the person's body on at least one of the plurality of gas-filled chambers based on sensor signals generated by at least one of the plurality of sensors associated with the at least one gas-filled chamber; and   reduce the gas pressure in the at least one gas-filled chamber in response to determining the increased force imparted by the person's body on the at least one gas-filled chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to reduce the gas pressure in the at least one gas-filled chamber by an amount proportional to the determined increased force imparted by the person's body on the at least one gas-filled chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each sensor is configured to detect an interaction between a sensor element physically associated with a respective gas-filled chamber and a detectable element physically associated with the person. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise magnetic sensors. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the magnetic sensors are configured to detect a magnetic field between magnetic elements physically associated with the gas-filled chambers and magnetic elements worn by the person. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each sensor is configured to measure an electrical parameter that varies as a function of force imparted by the person's body on an associated gas-filled chamber. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the presence of the person and movement of the person based on the sensor signals. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that a particular region of the person's body has experienced an amount of pressure exceeding a defined threshold, and in response, generate an audible or visual alarm. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the gas pressure in the array of gas-filled chambers over time to promote blood flow in a target area of the person's body. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the gas pressure in the array of gas-filled chambers to create pulses or waves of pressure moving relative to a target area of the person's body to promote blood flow in the target area.