title: A quantitative analysis of microcirculation in sore-prone pressure areas on conventional and pressure relief hospital mattresses using laser Doppler flowmetry and tissue spectrophotometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pressure ulcers are associated with severe impairment for the patients and high economic load. With this study we wanted to gain more insight to the skin perfusion dynamics due to external loading. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of different types of pressure relief mattresses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 25 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Perfusion dynamics of the sacral and the heel area were assessed using the O2C-device, which combines a laser light, to determine blood flow, and white light to determine the relative amount of hemoglobin. Three mattresses were evaluated compared to a hard surface: a standard hospital foam mattress bed, a visco-elastic foam mattress, and an air-fluidized bed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the heel area, only the air-fluidized bed was able to maintain the blood circulation (mean blood flow of 13.6 ± 6 versus 3.9 ± 3 AU and mean relative amount of hemoglobin of 44.0 ± 14 versus 32.7 ± 12 AU.) In the sacral area, all used mattresses revealed an improvement of blood circulation compared to the hard surface.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study form a more precise pattern of perfusion changes due to external loading on various pressure relief mattresses. This knowledge may reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers and may be an influencing factor in pressure relief mattress selection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG-Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, University Hospital, University of Berne, Inselspital, Switzerland. Electronic address: Jens.Rothenberger@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothenberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG-Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany. Electronic address: sabrinakrauss@gmx.net.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG-Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany. Electronic address: mheld@bgu-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Held
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG-Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany. Electronic address: Benderdomi@web.de.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG-Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany. Electronic address: hschaller@bgu-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Hans-Eberhard
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Schaller
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Hand, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Helios Klinikum Wuppertal, University Witten/Herdecke, Germany. Electronic address: arahmanian@web.de.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahmanian-Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, University Hospital, University of Berne, Inselspital, Switzerland. Electronic address: mihai.constantinescu@insel.ch.
authors.forename: Mihai Adrian
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Constantinescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery, BG-Trauma Center, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany. Electronic address: pjaminet@bgu-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaminet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001513:Beds; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Laser Doppler flowmetrie; Pressure relief mattress; Pressure sore; Tissue spectrophotometry