Evaluation of the optimum positioning for a multi-use and wearable pressure ulcer sensor.

Abstract

Pressure ulcers, also called bedsores, occur when the skin is under constant pressure for a long time and is more common in hospitalized patients. To prevent a diminish in quality of daily lives and the additional cost of clinical care, a "patient rotate system" is the standard procedure. Although there are commercial clinical platforms that suggest when and how to rotate a patient lying in bed, some of these platforms are 1) using a wearable system that has one-use accessories which increase the total cost of operation 2) rely on a system-on-a-chip that should be placed on a predetermined location which might not be the most comfortable based on the posture. This study evaluates an alternative by using a simple inertial measurement unit (IMU) hardware inside a self-designed and re-usable (disinfectable) 3d printed case placed on different anatomical regions (sternum, left and right acromion, above talus, below patella) for performance. It is suggested that, based on the regions selected, a "patient rotate system" automation is feasible with more comfortable sensor placements (e.g., on the lower limbs) without statistically significant differences (p<0.05). Clinical Relevance- The outcome of this study promises a pressure ulcer prevention system, with placing a wearable and multi-use sensor system on more comfortable and various locations on the body for a "patient rotate system".