E-textile solution for the early detection and prevention of pressure sores

**对公共卫生的威胁和对卫生保健系统的巨大负担**压疮（PU）是在短时间内对皮肤区域施加大量压力时形成的。额外的压力扰乱了血液流动，受影响的皮肤变得缺氧和缺乏营养，导致皮肤分解，溃疡开始形成。受影响最大的是75岁以上的人，因为他们的皮肤变得更薄更脆弱。它们发生在被限制在床上或椅子上的人身上。小儿麻痹症是患者及其照护者的主要疾病负担和生活质量下降。PU每年影响** 250万人**，相关费用在英国每年** 14至21亿英镑**（占NHS总支出的4%），在美国每年从91至116亿美元不等。压疮治疗的成本驱动因素是：伤口护理的护理时间、患者体位改变的护理时间、伤口敷料和其他高级伤口护理产品（专业床/床垫、乳膏、软膏、治疗血液中毒-败血症、蜂窝组织炎、骨髓炎的抗生素）、手术清创/治疗：高压水喷、超声、有/无麻醉手术以及各种手术相关风险：感染、脓肿、深静脉血栓形成等)。PU的并发症包括疼痛、疤痕、感染、长期康复和永久性残疾。PU可导致危及生命的并发症，如血液中毒或坏疽，并可使患者非常虚弱。95%的PU**在很大程度上是可以预防的。随着人口老龄化，患PU风险的人群比例呈指数级增长，从而增加了对早期检测和预防的需求。目前预防PU的策略是重新定位和使用昂贵的低摩擦床单或凝胶/充气床垫。支持使用标准体位方案来预防压疮的证据很少，最佳体位或体位频率不能概括，因为它们因人而异。在这个项目中，Infi-tex的目标是开发第一款能够连续测量和记录压力的智能床衬垫，并将数据发送到智能手机，以提醒配套应用程序压力分布。我们的技术将允许在任何可见迹象出现之前对PU进行特定的早期检测，并在其进一步发展之前向患者或护理人员发送通知以处理它。Infi-tex将使用其专有的导电油墨印刷在纺织品上，以开发，原型，测试/优化和验证第一个能够检测压力变化（运动）或缺乏运动的智能床衬底，以防止压力溃疡的形成。Infi-tex的目标是开发一种价格合理、简单易用的产品，可以很容易地被养老院、医院和个人采用。

**A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT AND A MASSIVE BURDEN ON HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS**Pressure ulcers (PU) develop when a large amount of pressure is applied to an area of skin over a short period of time. The extra pressure disrupts the blood flow and the affected skin becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients, which causes it to break down and ulcers begin to form. Most affected are those aged over 75 as their skin becomes thinner and frailer. They occur in people confined to a bed or a chair. PU represent a major burden of sickness and reduced quality of life for people and their carers.PU affect up to **2.5 million people per year**, and related costs range from **£1.4 to £2.1 billion annually** in the UK (4% of total NHS expenditure) and from $9.1 to $11.6 billion annually in the US. Cost drivers in the treatment of pressure ulcers are: nursing time for wound care, nursing time for patient position changes, wound dressings, and other advanced wound care products (specialty beds/mattresses, creams, ointments, antibiotics to treat blood poisoning-sepsis, cellulitis, osteomyelitis), surgical debridement/treatment: high pressure water jets, ultrasound, surgery with/without anaesthetics as well as various surgery related risks: infections, abscesses, deep vein thrombosis,...). Complications from PU include pain, scarring, infection, prolonged rehabilitation, and permanent disability. PU can lead to life-threatening complications such as blood poisoning or gangrene and can be very debilitating for the patient.**95% of PU** are largely preventable. As the population ages, the percent of people at risk for developing PU is growing exponentially, thus increasing **the demand for early stage detection and prevention**. Current strategies for the prevention of PU are repositioning and use of costly low friction bedsheets or gel/air filled mattresses. Evidence to support the use of a standard repositioning regimen to prevent pressure ulcers is low and optimal positions or repositioning frequency cannot be generalised as they can vary a lot from a person to another.In this project, Infi-tex aim to develop the first smart bed underlay capable of continuously measuring and recording pressure forces and sending the data to a smartphone to alert the companion app of pressure distribution. Our technology will allow for a specific early detection of PU before any visible sign develops and send notifications to the patient or carer to deal with it before it progresses any further.Infi-tex will use its proprietary conductive ink printed onto a textile sheet to develop, prototype, test /optimise and validate the first smart bed underlay capable of detecting change of pressure ( movement ) or lack of movement to prevent formation of Pressure Ulcers.Infi-tex is aiming to develop an affordable , simple and user-friendly product that can be easily adopted by care homes, hospitals and individuals.