Available from Aidacare , the Theraflow Alternating Mattress Replacement System, is breakthrough technology in the prevention of pressure ulcers (formerly known as bedsores) patented right here in Australia.
More than a 250,000 Australians are afflicted with pressure ulcers, an ailment that can cost up to $50,000 to treat per ulcer and that poses an overall cost of around $300 million to the health sector every year.
Pressure ulcers are an extremely painful, and often deadly, additional affliction for patients already bedridden due to some other misfortune. A pressure ulcer can develop within just two hours and ultimately be lethal. In fact, it is estimated that pressure ulcers are the primary or secondary cause of about 500 deaths per year.
The Theraflow Alternating Mattress Replacement System is designed to alternately release pressure from high risk areas, removing almost all interface pressure under nearly 80% of a patient’s body for patients weighing from 40kg to 200kg.
The Theraflow Alternating Mattress Replacement System features Dynam-U-Link technology, a patented Australian innovation, which uses the energy within the mattress itself to alternately "pull" cells away from the patient in order to remove pressure. Furthermore, these cells may be quickly engaged or disengaged to allow for completely customised therapy.
Traditional means of avoiding pressure ulcers involve manually turning immobile patients every two hours, a method which places additional stress on carers and reduces the quality of life for long term patients. This method can also be risky for patients with delicate skin and tissue, with further skin breakdowns being a common side effect.
Alternating mattresses like the Theraflow system mimic the body’s unconscious movement by alternately inflating and deflating portions of the mattress. This allows for blood pressure to build naturally in certain areas and then be released, allowing oxygenated blood to flow back into the tissue.
“This is a breakthrough system, in my opinion the greatest advance in alternating technology since its inception,” says Theraflow developer, Director of Patient Support Systems Mr Daniel Yaffe.
“Whilst some, highly expensive systems employ vacuum pumps to remove more air, to the best of my knowledge, this is the only system in the world which can both remove more air and also tailor reperfusion therapy to any section of the alternating surface," he adds.
In a normal system, air pressure release is passive, meaning a valve opens up in the control unit and, while the pressure release is initially rapid, it tails off quickly, restricting the therapy.
The elastic links in the Theraflow Alternating Mattress Replacement System maintain the speed of this pressure release, and keep the deflation going past where most systems stop. This results in a more pronounced deflation, allowing more time for pressure release and reperfusion around the wound site.
Additionally, the system can work up to 50% more effectively when some elastic links are detached from their cells for customised therapy.
Yaffe notes two general complaints from patients and staff when it comes to alternating pressure mattresses; the loud volume of the control unit and the cold and uncomfortable feel of the mattress.
The Theraflow Alternating Matress Replacement System solves both of these issues, firstly by having an almost silent control unit, and secondly through a patented, highly stretchable foam coverlet between the top cover of the mattress and the cells. This CellStay coverlet comfortably insulates the patient from the cells without compromising the therapy.
For complete infection control, the Theraflow Alternating Mattress Replacement System is also designed as a mattress within a mattress. This allows the cell section to be removed so that both the base and top cover can be disinfected separately. Furthermore, all external surfaces are fully welded to minimise the risk of cross-infection.