JPH06134006A - Bedsore preventing pad - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a bedsore preventing pad capable of sawing wasteful labor to effectively prevent the generation of a bedsore, capable of being reduced in production cost and capable of efficiently controlling a current-carrying state. CONSTITUTION:This bedsore preventing pad is a device used between bedding and the body to prevent the generation of a bedsore and has the pad member 2 capable of being attached to the body along the shape of the body, the sensor switches built in the pad member 2 and connected when load equal to or more than bedsore generating pressure acts on the position corresponding to the bedsore generating area of the body in the pad member 2, the group of electrodes 22 arranged to the peripheries of the sensor switches 11 so as to be exposed to the surface of the pad member 2 and the lead wires connected to the switches 11 and the electrodes 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bedsore prevention pad that is attached to the body and is used to prevent the occurrence of pressure sores, so-called bed sores.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Pressure ulcers, so-called bedsores, are not only a medical and nursing problem in critically ill patients and long-term decubitus patients, but it is estimated that the number of bedridden elderly people will reach about 1 million in the 21st century. Is an important nursing problem in the aging society of Japan. The main condition of bed sores is ischemic necrosis caused by local circulatory disturbance due to pressure. Usually, as shown in FIG. 5, about 4-6 kg is applied to the sacral region of a person in a supine position.
A pressure of / 10 cm ² is applied, and a site with a high body pressure distribution is a common site for bed sores. Further, it is said that the pressure that can cause bed sores is inversely proportional to the time, and there is a risk of bed sores when the pressure applied to the sacral region continues for 3 hours or more, and the safety limit is clinically set to 2 hours. Therefore, as a preventive measure for bed sores, the posture is manually changed every two hours. Also, air mat,
A preventive device that can disperse the body pressure distribution such as a round seat is used.

Even if such a preventive device is used, it is still necessary to manually change the posture. Therefore, there is a bed sore preventive device 26 disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-166152 as a device capable of appropriately improving and eliminating a compressed state without requiring human hands. This device 26 is shown in FIG.
In this device 26, among the plurality of electrodes 28 that are distributed over the sheet body 27 used between the bedding and the body and are exposed on the surface of the sheet body 27, in the portion where a load equal to or higher than the bed sore generation pressure is applied. Only the electrode 28 is configured to be conductive. Further, voltages of different polarities are applied to the adjacent electrodes. For this reason, a potential difference is generated between the adjacent electrodes 28 at the site where a load equal to or higher than the bed sore generation pressure is applied, and the current from the voltage generator 29 selectively flows to the contacting body part (compression site). As a result, circulatory failure at the compression site is improved and bed sores are prevented.

[0004]

In the above device 26, the protrusions 30 provided upright on the surface of the sheet 27 detect a load higher than the pressure at which the floor sore is generated, and the electrodes are integrated with the protrusions 30 or come in close proximity to each other. A current flows between 28. Therefore, in order to effectively specify the bed sore occurrence site and selectively pass the current, the intervals at which the protrusions 30 are provided have to be set to a certain interval or less and the number of the protrusions 30 has to be provided to some extent. As a result, the electrodes 28 are also installed in the same number as the protrusions 30, and a large number of expensive electrode terminals are required when manufacturing the bed sore prevention device, which causes a problem of high manufacturing cost. . Further, when trying to control energization conditions such as time and energization amount in order to optimize prevention of bedsore, the circuit becomes complicated due to the large number of electrodes, and a large number of control devices are required. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bed sore prevention pad that can effectively prevent the occurrence of bed sores by omitting unnecessary labor, can reduce the manufacturing cost, and can control the energized state efficiently. To provide.

[0005]

As a means for solving the above technical problems, according to the present invention, a pad used between the bedding and the body to prevent the occurrence of bed sores, which is applied to the body along the shape of the body. A pad body that can be attached, a sensor switch that is built in the pad body, and is connected to a position corresponding to a portion of the pad body that is likely to have a floor sore to be connected when a load equal to or higher than the bed sore pressure is applied, and the sensor. A bed sore prevention pad having an electrode group disposed around the switch in an exposed state on the pad body surface, and the sensor switch and a lead wire connected to the electrode group was created.

[0006]

According to the above-mentioned pad, since the pad can be fixedly attached to a specific part of the body, it is possible to specify the part on the pad corresponding to the part of the body in which the bed sore frequently occurs. . Therefore, it suffices to incorporate a sensor switch capable of sensing a load equal to or higher than the bed sore generation pressure only in the portion of the pad corresponding to the frequently occurring portion, and no more sensor switch than is necessary. Further, by providing an electrode group around this sensor switch, it is possible to flow an electric current to the site where the bed sore frequently occurs. According to this preventive pad, only one sensor switch needs to be provided in a bed sore prone site, and since the energization relationship between this sensor switch and the electrode can be arbitrarily set, the pad is inexpensive and highly effective in preventing bed sore. ing.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the side of the bedsore prevention pad 1 according to this embodiment in contact with the body. Further, FIG. 5 shows a body pressure distribution chart of each part of the body in the supine position. This pad is shown in Figure 5.
As is apparent from the above, it is attached to the buttocks including the sacral region 9 where the body pressure is most applied. This sacral region 9 is the region where bed sores are most likely to occur, and the ischial tuberosity portions on both sides of this are also sites where bed sores are more likely to occur. The pad body 2 is formed by stacking two pad materials 2a having the same shape and having a planar shape that can be wound and attached along the shape of the buttocks. Moreover, the curved portion is formed along the roundness of the buttocks, and the convex portion 4 is formed on the surface 3 which directly contacts the buttocks so as to follow the concave portion of the anus peripheral portion, so that feces and urine excreted from the patient It is designed not to enter the buttocks and the pad body.

At the left and right ends of the pad body 2, the pad body 2
A torso belt 5 for fixing the torso to the body is attached. Further, a crotch belt 6 passing through the crotch is attached from the lower side of the convex portion 4 and is fixed to a portion of the body belt 5 close to the tip. A fixing member 8 capable of connecting and fixing the ends of the other two belts 5 is attached to the ends of the two body belts 5. These belts 5 and 6 and the fixing member 8
With, the pad body 2 can be fixed so as not to shift to the buttocks. In such a pad body 2, a pair of power supply lines 20a and 20b are extended from the pad material 2a and connected to the low frequency generator 25, and the sensor switch 1 is also provided.
1 and an electrode group 22 are provided.

The sensor switch 11 is embedded in a portion of the surface of the pad body 2 which comes into contact with the body and which corresponds to a portion of the body where bed sores tend to occur (circular dotted line portion in FIG. 1). In this embodiment, there are three portions corresponding to the portion corresponding to the sacrum 9 and the ischial tuberosity on both sides thereof. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the embedded state of the sensor switch 11. Figure 2
Is the body contact surface 3 of the pad. The entire sensor switch 11 is interposed between the pad materials 2a, is embedded at a predetermined depth from the body contact surface 3, and does not appear on the surface 3 of the pad body 2. The sensor switch 11 is composed of a deformable member 12 and a receiving member 16 which are made of an elastic material such as rubber, and the deformable member 12 has a circular pressing surface 13.
The receiving member 16 is a circular flat plate having a shape in which the deformable member 12 can be placed. The deformable member 12 is adjusted so as to bend when a load greater than or equal to the pressure generated by the floor slip acts on the pressing surface 13. The bed sore generating pressure is 4 to 6 kg / 10 cm ² .

A sensor terminal 15 is fixed inside the pressing surface 13 of the recess of the deformable member 12, and a fixed terminal 17 is fixed to the receiving member 16 so as to face the terminal 15. A space 18 is formed between the sensor terminal 15 and the fixed terminal 17, and when a load equal to or higher than the floor-slip pressure is applied, the deformable member 1
2 bends and the sensor terminal 15 contacts the fixed terminal 17 of the receiving member 16. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, one lead wire 19a is connected to the sensor terminal 15, and the lead wire 19a is wired between the pad materials 2a and extends from the pad material 2a. A pair of power supply lines 2 that are being output
It is connected to one side 20a of 0. On the other hand, the fixed terminal 17 is wired between the pad materials 2a and the surrounding electrodes 2
The sensor lead wire 21 connected to the part 22a of the second wire 2 is extended.

Around the sensor switch 11, a suitable number of electrodes 22 are arranged so as to surround the sensor switch 11.
It is buried in a state of being exposed on the surface 3 of. In the present embodiment, four electrodes 22 are provided for one sensor switch 11.
The sensor switch 11 corresponding to the sacrum 9 and the two sensor switches 11 on both sides of the sensor switch 11 share the electrode 22 between them. FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a state in which the electrode 22a of the electrode group 22 connected to the sensor switch 11 by the sensor lead wire 21 is embedded in the pad. The electrode 22a is the pad body 2
A circular flat plate-shaped conductor 23 embedded so as to be substantially on the same plane as that of the thin film adhesive 2 adhered onto the conductor 23.
4 and. The adhesive 24 has conductivity and the electrode 2
It has a function of bringing 2a into close contact with the body. Two sensor lead wires 21 are connected to the conductor 23. The sensor lead wires 21 are wired between the pad materials 2a and are connected to the fixed terminals 17 of different sensor switches 11. The electrode 2 to which only one sensor lead wire 21 is connected due to the relationship between the embedded position and the sensor switch 11.
There is also 2a.

FIG. 3 shows a buried state of the remaining electrode 22b. In these electrodes 22b, the conductor 23
The structure of the adhesive body 24 is the same as that of FIG. 2, but is connected to the other power supply line 20b not connected to the sensor terminal 15 by one lead wire 19b. Therefore, a part 22b of the electrode group 22 is directly connected to the lead wire 19b.
Is connected to the power feed line 20b, the remaining electrode 22a is connected to the fixed terminal 17 of the sensor switch 11, and the sensor switch 11 is activated to be connected to the power feed line 20a. That is, one of the pair of power supply lines 20 is the power supply line 2
0a is connected to the sensor terminal 15 of the sensor switch 11 via the lead wire 19a, and the other power supply line 20b is connected to the part 22b of the electrode group 22 via the lead wire 19b. A cord including the power supply lines 20a and 20b is extended from between the pad materials 2a and is connected to the low frequency generator 25.

In FIG. 4, the electrode groups 22a and 22b, the lead wires 19a and 19b, the sensor lead wire 21, and the feeder wire 20 are shown.
Circuit diagrams of a, 20b and low frequency generator 25 are shown. One power supply line 20b is directly connected to the electrode 22b by the lead wire 19b, the other power supply line 20a is connected to the sensor terminal 15 of the sensor switch 11, and the fixed terminal 17 of the sensor switch 11 to the sensor lead wire 21.
Is connected to the remaining electrode 22a. The electrodes 22 are two sets of electrodes 22a surrounding the sensor switch 11,
22b are arranged so that different voltages are applied between them,
The sensor switch 11 is connected so that a current flows around it.

To use this bed sore prevention pad 1,
The pad 1 is attached and fixed directly to the buttocks. At this time, the built-in part of the sensor switch 11 is
The electrode group 22 mounted around the sensor switch 11 is attached to the patient's skin by the adhesive 24. When the low frequency generator 25 is turned on in this state, four of the eight electrode groups 22 installed around the sensor switch 11 are always connected to the lead wire 19b.
And, it is in a conductive state with the low frequency generator 25 via the power supply line 20b.

When the patient is supine and the sacral portion 9 presses the central sensor switch 11 in the pad 1 inward to apply a load equal to or higher than the pressure causing bed sore, the deformable member 12 bends. The sensor terminal 15 comes into contact with the fixed terminal 17 due to the bending. As a result, the two electrodes 22a installed around the central sensor switch 11 via the sensor lead wire 21, the lead wire 19a, and the power supply wire 20a are brought into conduction with the low frequency generator 25.

Since the electrodes 22a and 22b are in close contact with the skin of the patient by the adhesive 24, two sets of electrodes 22a and 22b having a potential difference among the electrodes 22 installed around the sensor switch 11 are provided. An electric current will flow between them. Therefore, an electric current selectively and automatically flows to the bed sore prone site 9. That is, according to the bed sore prevention pad 1, the electrode 22 installed around the sensor switch 11 can be energized by operating one sensor switch 11.

Further, in this pad 1, since the sensor switch 11 is built in and is not exposed to the surface 3, the patient does not feel a foreign body, and the already-affected bed sore site 9 is not stimulated. Therefore, a good usability can be obtained. Further, the terminals 15 and 17 are not rusted due to sweat or urine excreted from the patient's body, which causes no contact failure.

The pad material 2a is composed of the electrode 22 and the sensor 11.
Anything that can incorporate and intervene, etc.,
In particular, in consideration of the patient's sweat, urine, etc., the body contact surface 3 may be made of a material that does not easily peel off, or the entire pad body 2 may be made porous. Further, in the present embodiment, the pad body 2 attached to the buttocks is exemplified, but the shape of the pad body 2 may be any shape that is easy to wear along the body. Other parts of the body,
For example, the pad body 2 that can be attached to the heel portion may be used. Further, not only is the belt 5 or 6 and the fixing member 8 mounted, but a magic tape or the like can also be used.

In this embodiment, the energization is carried out at a low frequency, but various other waveforms can be used to optimize the prevention of bed sores.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The bedsore prevention pad 38 of this embodiment has the same pad body, belt and fixing member as the pad 1 of the first embodiment, and is formed so as to be attached along the shape of the buttocks. One sensor switch 31 in the pad 38 is embedded in a substantially central portion of the pad body corresponding to the sacral portion, which is a frequently-occurring site for bed sores. The sensor switch 31 as a whole is built in the pad body at a predetermined depth from the body contact surface as in the first embodiment. The deformable member and the receiving member constituting the sensor switch 31 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the sensor terminal 32 is attached to the inside of the deformable member and the fixed terminal 33 is attached to the opposing receiving member. The deformable member is formed so that the sensor terminal 32 comes into contact with the fixed terminal 33 when the deformable member bends when a load equal to or higher than the pressure generated by floor sore is applied.

This sensor terminal 32 has one signal line 34a.
Is connected to the controller 35 provided outside the pad body. Similarly, the fixed terminal 33 is also connected to the signal line 3
It is connected to the controller 35 by 4b.

Around the sensor switch 31, a proper number of electrode groups 36 are embedded so as to surround the sensor switch 31 with the surface of the pad body exposed. In the present embodiment, eight pieces are installed in pairs of two pieces. Electrode group 3
6 is composed of the same conductor and adhesive as in the first embodiment. The conductor is embedded in the pad body, and only the adhesive body is exposed on the surface of the pad body so that it can be adhered to the body. A part 36a of the electrode group 36 is a low frequency oscillator 37.
It is connected to the. The remaining electrode group 36b is connected to the controller 35 outside the pad.

The controller 35 includes a sensor switch 3
When 1 detects the action of a load equal to or higher than the pressure generated by bed sores, it has a built-in circuit capable of controlling the amount of current from a low frequency oscillator connected to a circuit for storing the passage of time from that point.

FIG. 6 shows the bedsore prevention pad 38 of this embodiment.
A circuit diagram of the controller 35 and the low frequency oscillator 37 is shown. A part 36a of the electrode group 36 is the low frequency oscillator 3
Connected to 7. Further, the oscillator 37 is connected to the controller 35, and the controller 35 is connected to the sensor terminal 32 via the signal line 34a. On the other hand, the fixed terminal 33 is connected to the remaining electrode group 36b via the controller 35 via the signal line 34b.

A voltage is constantly applied to the sensor terminal 32 of the sensor switch 31, and when it contacts the fixed terminal 33, this signal is input to the timer circuit of the controller 35 via the signal line 34b. When the timer circuit operates, the controller 35 controls the energization amount of the low frequency oscillator 37 in response to the passage of a predetermined time.
The electrode group 36 is arranged so that different electrodes are applied to the two electrodes 36a and 36b facing each other on both sides of the sensor switch 31. In this embodiment, the sensor switch 31 is arranged so that different poles are applied to both sides thereof.

This bed sore prevention pad 38 is mounted on the buttocks of the body so that the built-in portion of the sensor switch 31 corresponds to the sacrum 9 as in the first embodiment, and the controller 35 and the low frequency oscillator 37 are turned on. . FIG. 7 shows an example of the control of the energized state of the electrode group 36 by the controller 35 over time. When the patient is supine with the pad 38 attached and the sensor switch 31 built into the pad body is pressed by the sacral portion with a load equal to or higher than the pressure generated by bed sores, the sensor terminal 32 and the fixed terminal 33 come into contact with each other, and the controller A signal is transmitted to 35. As a result, the timer circuit starts to operate and enters a power-on standby state. In this standby state, power is not supplied. In this embodiment, the duration is set to 90 minutes, and the sensor switch 31 is continuously operated for 90 minutes.
When a load equal to or higher than the bed sores generating pressure is applied to the low frequency oscillator 37, a signal for flowing a current of 5 to 10 mA is transmitted to the low frequency oscillator 37.

As a result, different voltages are generated in the electrode group 36, and a current flows between the facing electrodes 36a and 36b. As a result, the sacral region in the compressed state is energized and circulatory failure is improved. This state continues for about 15 minutes. Even if the load is reduced or eliminated during this period, this energized state is continued for a certain period of time. It has been experimentally proved that energization for a certain period of time after the pressure is released has a significant effect on improving the blood flow at the pressure site, and it has been found that it is very effective in preventing the occurrence of bedsores. There is.

When this weak energization state is continued for 15 minutes, a signal for flowing a stronger current of 10 to 20 mA is automatically transmitted to the low frequency oscillator 37. This current more effectively ameliorates the sacral circulatory failure that continues to be compressed. In addition, this stimulus has the effect of encouraging the patient to voluntarily change his posture. This state is continued for about 15 minutes, and when the load is released, it is the same as the previous state.

Thus, a total of 120 (90 + 15 + 1)
5) When a load is applied to the sensor switch 31 for a period of 5 minutes, a buzzer or the like may be generated to inform a person in charge of care that the person is in a state of danger of bedsores, and urge the patient to change his posture. That is, it is possible to accurately inform the patient and the caregiver that the patient is in a state in which the posture needs to be changed. As a result, even if the body position is changed and the load on the sensor switch 31 is released, a current of the same magnitude as before is passed between the electrodes for a certain period of time as before.

Therefore, according to this bed sore preventive pad 38, the sensor switch 31 is provided at the place where the bed sore is likely to be fixedly attached to the body, and the electrode 36 is arranged around the sensor switch 31. Sensor switch 3
It becomes possible to control the energization state of the plurality of electrodes 36 in terms of time and energization intensity by the signal from 1. As a result, not only does the circulatory failure of the body part that is under pressure due to the load be effectively improved by responding to the compression time, but it also maintains the energized state even when the load is removed, It is possible to quickly restore the circulation of the above to the normal state.

Furthermore, it is possible to prompt the patient to voluntarily change his or her posture, and to accurately detect a load for a certain time or more at one location to inform the caregiver, etc., of the conventional posture every two hours. Since no conversion is required, the labor of care can be saved considerably. In addition, according to the pad 38, the pad 38 is only energized only when the compressed state continues for a certain period of time, so that the pad 38 is activated only when the risk of the occurrence of a bedsore is really high. Therefore, it is not possible to energize immediately with a small weight shift,
Unnecessary irritation to the patient can be eliminated. It should be noted that this embodiment also has the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the pad body to be worn on the body and the portion on the pad body corresponding to the part of the body where the bed sore is prone to be actuated by the action of the load higher than the pressure causing the bed sore. Since the sensor switch and multiple electrodes are provided around it, it is possible to improve the circulatory failure in the area where bed slip may occur by automatically flowing current between multiple electrodes with one sensor switch. It is possible to prevent bed sores from occurring. Therefore, since the sensor switch only needs to be installed in the expected site where the bed sore is likely to occur, the number of sensor switches can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, the signal from one sensor switch can efficiently control the energization state of the plurality of electrodes to the optimum condition for preventing the occurrence of bed sores, and thus the unnecessary labor for care can be omitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a body pressure contact pad side of a bed sore prevention pad.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a sensor switch and an electrode incorporated in a pad body.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the remaining electrodes built in the pad body.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a bed sore prevention pad and a low frequency generator.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a body pressure distribution of a body in a supine position.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of a bed sore prevention pad, a low frequency oscillator and a controller according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing temporal control of an energized state in the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional bedsore prevention device.

[Explanation of Codes] 1, 38 ... Bedsore prevention pad 2 ... Pad body 11, 31 ... Sensor switch 22, 36 ... Electrode 19, 21, 34 ... Lead wire

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pad which is used between bedding and a body to prevent the occurrence of bedsores, the pad body being attachable to the body according to the shape of the body, and the pad body built in the pad body. A sensor switch that is connected when a load greater than the pressure of the bed sore is applied to a position corresponding to the area where the body is likely to have a bed sore, and an electrode group that is arranged around the sensor switch and is exposed on the surface of the pad body. A bedsore prevention pad comprising the sensor switch and a lead wire connected to the electrode group.