초록 ▼

A mattress and temperature control system for preventing pressure ulcers is provided. The mattress and temperature control system may include at least two chambers that may be alternately pressurized to each independently support a patient's body reclined on the mattress at different times. In some

A mattress and temperature control system for preventing pressure ulcers is provided. The mattress and temperature control system may include at least two chambers that may be alternately pressurized to each independently support a patient's body reclined on the mattress at different times. In some embodiments, the chambers may be implemented as an inflatable tubing system including at least two inflatable tubing circuits each having inflatable tubes disposed adjacent one another in an alternating manner. The tubes may be inflated with liquid or gas fluids. The system may include a tube pressurizing control device for controlling the inflation of the at least two inflatable tubing circuits in an alternating manner. A gas permeable membrane may encapsulate the inflatable tubing system and may be used to move air between the patient and the mattress for cooling and to remove any moisture.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method comprising: providing a hyperbaric environment having an elevated oxygen content, the elevated oxygen content being higher in oxygen than an average oxygen content of atmospheric air, the hyperbaric environment comprising as much as 100% oxygen, and the hyperbaric en

What is claimed is: 1. A method comprising: providing a hyperbaric environment having an elevated oxygen content, the elevated oxygen content being higher in oxygen than an average oxygen content of atmospheric air, the hyperbaric environment comprising as much as 100% oxygen, and the hyperbaric environment being free of potential combustion ignition sources; providing a mattress completely contained in the hyperbaric environment, the mattress being removable from the hyperbaric environment, the mattress being usable outside the hyperbaric environment, the mattress having at least two internal chambers, and the mattress being free of potential combustion ignition sources, wherein each chamber is adapted to be independently pressurized relative to an ambient pressure within the hyperbaric environment and when pressurized, each chamber is adapted to independently support a reclined body on the mattress; providing pressurization to the mattress, wherein the pressurization is driven and regulated only pneumatically; providing support for a body with a first chamber while a second chamber is depressurized at a first time; and providing support for a body with the second chamber while the first chamber is depressurized at a second time. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the internal chambers include sets of interwoven channels within the mattress and wherein supporting a body includes pressurizing a first set of interwoven channels with a fluid while depressurizing a second set of interwoven channels by draining a fluid from the second set of interwoven channels. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first chamber includes a first array of tubes that fan out from a first main tube, wherein the second chamber includes a second array of tubes that fan out from a second main tube, and wherein the first and second arrays of tubes are disposed so that the tubes in the arrays of tubes are substantially parallel to each other, lie substantially within a same plane, and are arranged in an alternating pattern from a perspective of a longitudinal cross-section of the mattress. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first chamber includes a first array of tubes that fan out from a first main tube, wherein the second chamber includes a second array of tubes that fan out from a second main tube, and wherein the first and second arrays of tubes are disposed so that the tubes in the arrays of tubes are substantially parallel to each other, lie substantially within a same plane, and are arranged in an alternating pattern from a perspective of a lateral cross-section of the mattress. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first main tube is coupled to a first valve that is switchable between a supply and a drain, wherein the second main tube is coupled to a second valve that is switchable between the supply and the drain, and wherein supporting a body with the first chamber includes filling the first array of tubes via the first main tube by switching the first valve to put the first main tube in fluid communication with the supply and draining the second array via the second main tube by switching the second valve to put the second main tube in fluid communication with the drain. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first chamber includes a first tube and the second chamber includes a second tube, and wherein the first and second tubes lie substantially within a same plane and are disposed in parallel serpentine switch-back loops. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein a first end of the first tube is coupled to a supply and a second end of the first tube is coupled to a drain, wherein a first end of the second tube is coupled to the supply and a second end of the second tube is coupled to the drain, and wherein supporting a body with the first chamber includes filling the first tube with fluid via the first end and draining fluid from the second tube via the second end. 8. An apparatus comprising: a mattress for use completely contained in a hyperbaric environment, the mattress being removable from the hyperbaric environment, the mattress being usable outside the hyperbaric environment, the mattress having at least two internal chambers, and the mattress being free of potential combustion ignition sources, wherein each chamber is adapted to be independently pressurized relative to ambient pressure with the hyperbaric environment and when pressurized, each chamber is adapted to independently support a reclined body on the mattress; and a pressurizing device in fluid communication with the internal chambers and adapted to pressurize each of the internal chambers at different times and to depressurize each of the internal chambers at different times; wherein the hyperbaric environment has an elevated oxygen content, the elevated oxygen content being higher in oxygen than an average oxygen content of atmospheric air, the hyperbaric environment comprising as much as 100% oxygen, and the hyperbaric environment being free of potential combustion ignition sources; and wherein the pressurizing device is driven and regulated only pneumatically. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the internal chambers each include a set of channels within the mattress that are interwoven with each other, and wherein the pressurizing device is adapted to pressurize a first set of channels with a fluid while depressurizing a second set of channels by draining a fluid from the second set of channels. 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a first chamber includes a first array of tubes that fan out from a first main tube, wherein a second chamber includes a second array of tubes that fan out from a second main tube, and wherein the first and second arrays of tubes are disposed so that the tubes in the arrays of tubes are substantially parallel to each other, lie substantially within a same plane, and are arranged in an alternating pattern from a perspective of a longitudinal cross-section of the mattress. 11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a first chamber includes a first array of tubes that fan out from a first main tube, wherein a second chamber includes a second array of tubes that fan out from a second main tube, and wherein the first and second arrays of tubes are disposed so that the tubes in the arrays of tubes are substantially parallel to each other, lie substantially within a same plane, and are arranged in an alternating pattern from a perspective of a lateral cross-section of the mattress. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a first valve and a second valve that are switchable between a supply and a drain, wherein the first main tube is coupled to the first valve, wherein the second main tube is coupled to the second valve, and wherein the pressurizing device is adapted to fill the first array of tubes via the first main tube by switching the first valve to put the first main tube in fluid communication with the supply, and wherein the pressurizing device is further adapted to drain the second array via the second main tube by switching the second valve to put the second main tube in fluid communication with the drain. 13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a first chamber includes a first tube and a second chamber includes a second tube, and wherein the first and second tubes lie substantially within a same plane and are disposed in parallel serpentine switch-back loops. 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a first end of the first tube is coupled to a supply and a second end of the first tube is coupled to a drain, wherein a first end of the second tube is coupled to the supply and a second end of the second tube is coupled to the drain, and wherein the pressurizing device is adapted to fill the first tube with fluid via the first end, and wherein the pressurizing device is further adapted to drain fluid from the second tube via the second end. 15. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the mattress has a temperature and wherein the mattress is adapted to control the temperature by a heated or cooled fluid in at least one of the internal chambers. 16. The apparatus of claim 8 including at least one inflatable pillow adapted to off-load a patient's heels, feet or head. 17. The apparatus of claim 8 including pneumatic valves wherein the apparatus is adapted to be used in a 100% oxygen chamber environment. 18. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pressurizing device is adapted to pressurize at least one of the internal chambers wherein the at least one pressurized internal chamber is adapted to provide patient lifting support. 19. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the apparatus uses a liquid to pressurize each chamber. 20. A system comprising: a support; an enclosure on the support; a hyperbaric environment, the hyperbaric environment having an elevated oxygen content, the elevated oxygen content being higher in oxygen than an average oxygen content of atmospheric air, the hyperbaric environment comprising as much as 100% oxygen, and the hyperbaric environment being free of potential combustion ignition sources; wherein the support and enclosure are free of potential combustion ignition sources, are completely contained within the hyperbaric environment, are removable from the hyperbaric environment, and are usable outside the hyperbaric environment; a first chamber within the enclosure, the first chamber adapted to be pressurized relative to an ambient pressure within the hyperbaric environment and when pressurized, adapted to support a reclined body; a second chamber within the enclosure, the second chamber adapted to be pressurized and when pressurized, adapted to support a reclined body; a pressurizing device in fluid communication with the first and second chambers and adapted to pressurize each of the first and second chambers at different times and to depressurize each of the first and second chambers at different times, wherein the pressurizing device is driven and regulated only pneumatically. 21. The system of claim 20 wherein the first and second chambers each include a set of channels within the system that are interwoven with each other, and wherein the pressurizing device is adapted to pressurize a first set of channels with a fluid while depressurizing a second set of channels by draining a fluid from the second set of channels. 22. The system of claim 20 wherein the first chamber includes a first array of tubes that fan out from a first main tube, wherein the second chamber includes a second array of tubes that fan out from a second main tube, and wherein the first and second arrays of tubes are disposed so that the tubes in the arrays of tubes are substantially parallel to each other, lie substantially within a same plane, and are arranged in an alternating pattern from a perspective of a longitudinal cross-section of the system. 23. The system of claim 20 wherein the first chamber includes a first array of tubes that fan out from a first main tube, wherein the second chamber includes a second array of tubes that fan out from a second main tube, and wherein the first and second arrays of tubes are disposed so that the tubes in the arrays of tubes are substantially parallel to each other, lie substantially within a same plane, and are arranged in an alternating pattern from a perspective of a lateral cross-section of the system. 24. The system of claim 23 further comprising a first valve and a second valve that are switchable between a supply and a drain, wherein the first main tube is coupled to the first valve, wherein the second main tube is coupled to the second valve, and wherein the pressurizing device is adapted to fill the first array of tubes via the first main tube by switching the first valve to put the first main tube in fluid communication with the supply, and wherein the pressurizing device is further adapted to drain the second array via the second main tube by switching the second valve to put the second main tube in fluid communication with the drain. 25. The system of claim 20 wherein the first chamber includes a first tube and the second chamber includes a second tube, and wherein the first and second tubes lie substantially within a same plane and are disposed in parallel serpentine switch-back loops. 26. The system of claim 25 wherein a first end of the first tube is coupled to a supply and a second end of the first tube is coupled to a drain, wherein a first end of the second tube is coupled to the supply and a second end of the second tube is coupled to the drain, and wherein the pressurizing device is adapted to fill the first tube with fluid via the first end, and wherein the pressurizing device is further adapted to drain fluid from the second tube via the second end. 27. The system of claim 20 wherein the support includes at least one of a bed, a gurney, a stretcher, a cot, a transfer linen, a transfer lift, an operating table, a hyperbaric chamber support, and an ambulance support. 28. The system of claim 20 wherein the support includes a reinforced sheet coupled to at least one support member. 29. The system of claim 28 further including at least one strap coupled to the at least one support member. 30. The system of claim 20 wherein the enclosure includes a gas permeable membrane and the system further includes a means for supplying air to the enclosure.