Total Lift Bed™ Identified in Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Therapy

New Hyde Park, New York, June 1, 2011—VitalGo, Inc., a provider of advanced technology-based solutions for staff and patient safety, has announced its Total Lift Bed (TLB) has been identified as providing significant benefits in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.

Commonly known as bedsores, pressure ulcers are caused by factors including unrelieved pressure, friction, shearing forces, humidity, temperature, age, incontinence and medication. They may appear on any part of the body, especially over bony or cartilaginous areas such as sacrum, elbows, knees, and ankles. Although often preventable, and treatable if they do occur, pressure ulcers can: be painful; complicate other conditions; lead to infection and be fatal – even under the auspices of medical care. The condition is more difficult to prevent in frail, elderly patients; wheelchair users (especially where spinal injury is involved) and terminally ill patients.

The primary prevention and treatment for the condition is to reduce the pressure on the problematic areas of the body. This is typically done by turning the patient, usually every two hours. This approach puts significant demands on the caregiver’s time, energy and strength. It is disruptive to the patient’s rest, comfort and sense of well being. For the caregiver and patient alike, the process increases risk of injury.

“The TLB augments and changes the frequency of the turning protocol,” says VitalGo Vice-President of Sales Jarett Armstrong. The fully automated TLB is the only bed in the world that can lift a patient from a lying to full standing position with no manual lifting on the part of the caregiver. It can be stopped at any angle and achieve various configurations including the chair position. “So, with just the press of a button, the TLB allows the caregiver to change the patient’s position as often as needed, offload the pressure and eliminate sheering forces” Armstrong explains. “In addition, the entire process is easy, safe and dignified.”

Innovative Technologies Combine and Yield Results
The TLB tilting function, its patented Foot Lifter™, unique Foot Lifter Scale and various support surfaces allow caregivers to better address the care and prevention of pressure ulcers.

As the TLB tilts, the Foot Lifter (which looks like a traditional foot board) moves to meet the patient’s feet and supports an increasing portion of his or her weight – depending on the angle of the tilt. Whatever weight the TLB’s Foot Lifter Scale displays as being put on the patient’s feet is equal to the pressure that is off loaded from his or her body. This offloads the pressure from the problematic areas, reduces shearing force on the support surface and places the weight on the patient’s legs and feet, depending on their weight-bearing ability. This can guide the caregiver in achieving optimum positioning to eliminate pressure without putting too much stress on the patient.

“The VitalGo Total Lift Bed allows a new dimension in patient positioning,” according to Dr. Howard Lebowitz, Chief Medical Officer of New Jersey’s AcuteCare Health System. “The current standard of care is now essentially nothing more than log rolling the patient from side to side.  This bed allows the typical pressure ulcer hot spots to be off-loaded by loading the feet.”

VitalGo also supplies optional built-in powered and non-powered support surfaces for all wound stages, including alternating and rotational low air-loss mattresses. The combination of the Total Lift Bed with advanced powered support surfaces allows for the best possible prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.

Prevention in the Home
Pressure Ulcers can also occur in the home and Assisted Living Facilities, if a person’s mobility is limited, according to Armstrong. “VitalGo also offers the Total Lift Home Bed and TLB Assisted Living Version. These beds, optionally controlled by the user, allow various positions that offload pressure to be achieved without the assistance of a caregiver, depending on the user’s degree of independence.”

About VitalGo, Inc.
VitalGo, Inc, is dedicated to developing new ideas that enhance the ability to administer medical treatment while helping prevent caregiver and patient injuries. The company’s advanced technology-based solutions are also designed to improve safety and quality of life for people at home who have difficulty performing daily activities, such as getting in and out of bed. VitalGo’s line of Total Lift Beds, offers healthcare facilities and patients the only solution that addresses: safe, zero-lift patient handling; caregiver safety and injury prevention; early ambulation; assistance to immobile patients and Long Term Care needs and provides many other medical benefits for different applications.