Cardiac surgeon’s invention reduces pressure ulcers, LOS

Editor's Note

A device invented by Rafael Squitieri, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at St Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut, reduced pressure ulcers and length of stay in studies, the December 24, 2016, Connecticut Post reports.

The device, called “TurnCare,” is a mat that is placed under patients and levitates them off the bed at certain pressure points.

In a 400-patient trial at St Vincent’s, there were five times fewer pressure ulcers on those using TurnCare, compared with the current standard of care.

A treatment trial found that TurnCare reduced length of stay by 61.5%, from 26 days to 9.8 days for patients with Stage 2 pressure injuries.

Presently the mat is mostly used in ICUs, but Dr Squitieri is planning to expand its use.

The wounds, more commonly called bed sores, are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue, caused by prolonged pressure, usually associated with a long stay in a health care facility. According to the state Department of Public Health, pressure ulcers were the most common cause of unintentional injuries or deaths at hospitals in 2015, making up more than half of these incidents.