Use of A Ripple Mattress Minimizes Pressure Sores

A ripple mattress is mainly used in the intensive care Unit and sometimes in the burns department to reduce the contact pressure of the patient’s skin, hence decreasing the risk of a patient developing pressure sores, and it can also be used for pain alleviation. It is usually placed on the patient’s bed and works by pressurizing air into air cushions on the ripple mattress, which supports the patient’s interface skin area uniformly and alternatively (McInnes et al., 2015). It has great significance for patients who are immobile and are in constant monitoring and support.

Pressure sores or ulcers are localized injuries to the skin and the underlying tissues, mostly over body prominence, which result from prolonged, unrelieved pressure due to impaired physical mobility. Common sites affected include the heel, hip, buttocks, greater trochanter, shoulders, lower back, and inner knees. They develop due to unequal body distribution over a firm mattress surface for extended periods, resulting in a poor distribution of blood and nutrients and removal of waste products due to capillary shut in some areas (Bhattacharya & Mishra, 2015). This leads to the development of ulcers, a significant complication in Intensive Care units and burn patients and puts one at a high risk of developing infection and tissue death.

A ripple mattress relieves the contact pressure on the skin to the capillary levels, enabling blood distribution and preventing the development of pressure sores. It ensures the comfort and safety of patients with impaired physical mobility from developing complications and being predisposed to risks that can alter their general recovery and increase their hospital stay. It has a significant impact, so it should be recommended for every patient in the intensive care unit and those at high risk of developing pressure sores or ulcers.

References

Bhattacharya, S., & Mishra, R. K. (2015). Pressure ulcers: current understanding and newer modalities of treatment. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery: official publication of the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India, 48(1), 4. https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0970-0358.155260

McInnes, E., Jammali‐Blasi, A., Bell‐Syer, S. E., Dumville, J. C., Middleton, V., & Cullum, N. (2015). Support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001735.pub5