title: Know how. Pulsating air suspension therapy.
abstract: The realisation that pressure sores are caused by shearing forces and tissue distortion rather than simply by pressure, had led to the development of specialised patient support systems. The pulsating air suspension system was developed to help reduce the incidence of oedema formation. All health-care professionals using specialised bed therapy have a responsibility to understand the principles of that therapy in order to ensure appropriate patient selection, which may be aided by the development of placement criteria. The concept of pulsation therapy has been a stimulus for new thinking on the causes and treatment of pressure sores and has highlighted the need for further research on the part played by the lymphatic system and oedema on pressure sore formation, although there is already strong evidence that there is a link between tge two.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Viability Unit, Guy's Hospital, London.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ballard
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D001513:Beds; D006801:Humans; D008208:Lymphatic System; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014945:Wound Healing