Pressure-mitigation apparatuses for improved treatment of immobilized patients and associated systems and methods

Inventors

Squitieri, Rafael Paolo

Assignees

Turncare Inc

Abstract

Introduced here are pressure-mitigation apparatuses able to mitigate the pressure applied to a human body by the surface of an object. A controller device can be fluidically coupled to a pressure-mitigation device that includes a series of selectively inflatable chambers. When a pressure-mitigation device is placed between a human body and a surface, the controller device can continuously, intelligently, and autonomously circulate air through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. As further discussed below, the controller device may cause the chambers to be selectively inflated, deflated, or any combination thereof. Such an approach is useful in a variety of contexts. For example, pressure-mitigation apparatuses may be used to improve treatment of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses and patients who are partially or completely immobilized for extended durations (e.g., as part of a medical procedure).

Core Innovation

The invention describes pressure-mitigation apparatuses and systems for alleviating pressure applied to a living body. The apparatus includes a pad or pressure-mitigation device having chambers intertwined around an epicenter in a geometric pattern, and when the living body is positioned so that an anatomical region is proximate the epicenter, shifting the pressure applied to the anatomical region by an underlying surface is used for pressure mitigation.

A pump generates a flow of air to pressurize the chambers, and a controller and processor select and execute a programmed pattern for inflating the chambers. The processor causes the chambers to be inflated to varying degrees in accordance with the programmed pattern so as to shift pressure applied by the underlying surface to the anatomical region proximate the epicenter, and the geometric arrangement creates pressure gradients while the pad provides pressure mitigation for immobilized patients.

The controller further includes communication modules that wirelessly communicate with external treatment equipment, including an ECMO machine or a mechanical ventilator, and the processor receives inputs that specify how to choose and apply the programmed pattern. In the ECMO-based system, the processor receives input specifying locations at which blood tubes are connected to the living body and identifies the programmed pattern based on the input, and in the mechanical-ventilator-based system the processor receives input specifying a frequency at which the mechanical ventilator pushes air into the lungs of the living body and identifies a programmed pattern based on that input.

Claims Coverage

The partial content identifies two independent claims, each covering a pressure-alleviation system. Across the two independent claims, the inventive coverage consists of a pressure-mitigation device with chambers arranged geometrically around an epicenter, a pump to pressurize the chambers using a flow of air, and a controller/processor that selects a programmed inflation pattern based on treatment-relevant inputs received via wireless communication.

Both independent claims share a core control concept: geometric chambers around an epicenter are pressurized by air from a pump, and a controller/processor inflates the chambers to varying degrees under a programmed pattern selected based on treatment-specific inputs received via wireless communication. The ECMO-based claim grounds pattern selection in tube connection locations, while the mechanical-ventilator-based claim grounds pattern selection in a ventilator push-air frequency.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications