Cardiff’s Little Known Contribution to Pressure Sore Control

Pressure sores, also known as pressure ulcers or bed sores are a major cause of unnecessary or avoidable illness and death amongst long term hospital patients and residents of aged care homes. The effective prevention, control and early treatment of pressure sores should be an important goal for all hospital and residential aged care home administrators. Where the development of pressure sores has occurred because of negligence, this can lead to untimely agony for patients and residents and may lead to legal action being taken by family against those responsible.

Pressure sores occur when a patient or resident lies or sits prone for long periods without being able to move. The skin tissue in the area of contact between the individual and the chair or bed can become rubbed due to friction, leading to eventual infection of progressively deeper and deeper layers of tissue. If left undetected, the sore can develop into an ulcer and the infection can then spread to other parts of the body. Pressure sores can be reduced or minimized through careful, thorough monitoring of the individual and routine movement of their position so that pressure in one particular area is reduced. Early intervention is in fact vital to lessen the incidence of pressure sores.

Cardiff the source of a new method of pressure sore prevention

Various technological innovations have been invented over the years to help motivated and informed administrations reduce the incidence of pressure sores. Cardiff University’s Medical Faculty was the source last year of an innovation that when used significantly reduces the incidence of pressure sores.

A student at the University, Luthfun Nessa, won two prizes in quick succession last year for her contribution to the development of a sensitive mattress topper that is able to sense developing pressure sores so that action can be taken by carers and nurses before the ulcer becomes so serious that surgery becomes necessary.

Ms. Nessa developed the mattress topper sensor together with expertise from a data scientist based at Harvard University in the U.S. The development led the pair to win two prizes worth in total £40,500 in March last year.

Ms. Nessa later went on to explain that talking to nurses who were on the front line of preventing and treating pressure sores, she learned that the methods for preventing sores had not really improved significantly. She said that although special beds had been developed to help alleviate the pain caused by sores and prevent further friction, they were expensive and unlikely to be adopted by the NHS on a wide scale.

Pressure sore innovation leads to start-up in Cardiff

Ms. Nessa and Anna McGovern, the data scientist from Harvard, eventually came up with their invention. It uses sensors and artificial intelligence to monitor changes in skin surface and communicate developing problems to those who are caring for the individuals who may be at risk. Nessa took the extra step of creating a new start-up, Calidiscope, to improve the mattress topper, develop a prototype and eventually market the product. She was able to do so despite the pressures of being in the final year of her medical degree as well as limitations on research funding and readily admits that the whole process was challenging at times.

Family members who have relatives who are being cared for in residential care homes and in hospitals on a long term basis should be aware about the possibility of pressure sore development in their loved ones is a real risk. Technological improvements are a great development but do not necessarily prevent pressure sores if those responsible for the care of their loved ones are negligent. Legal action against negligent administrations may be necessary if the standard of care provided is proven to be insufficient.