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Would new technology help prevent bedsores?

One of the most common conditions for patients who are immobile or otherwise bedridden is bedsores (also known as “pressure ulcers” or “decubitus ulcers”). Bedsores generally develop along bony areas of the body, such as the hips or tailbone, because immobile patients are constantly putting weight or pressure on that part of their body. This condition is easily preventable by simply rotating the patient to change their position or using a medical air mattress, which inflates and deflates intermittently to change a patient’s pressure points. Unfortunately, even though bedsores are easily preventable, this condition is not uncommon for many patients in hospitals and nursing homes.

Stunned by this widespread problem of what seems to be a preventable condition, Sanna Gaspard took it upon herself to develop a solution to an issue that for the most part “nobody cared” about.

She first learned about bedsores 11 years ago when she was a doctoral student at Carnegie Melon University taking a class on physical rehabilitation. Her solution? A hand-held battery operated medical device designed to detect symptoms of bed sores such as measuring the skin temperature and consistency. In response to this idea, she started a company called Rubitection, Inc. in 2010 and has received grant funding to further develop the product. Ms. Gaspard reports the device has worked well in lab settings and she is confident that success will translate in clinical settings.

As a law firm that specializes in medical malpractice and serious personal injury, many of our clients have been immobilized in some fashion. Being confined to a bed or wheelchair can lead to patients developing these pressure ulcers, which can lead to infection and even death. Moreover, it is not uncommon for immobilized patients’ immune systems to slow down; which makes bedsores and the potential infections they can cause even more dangerous.

The attorneys at Leeseberg Tuttle are excited to learn about this new development in the medical field. We are very optimistic that this new device will prevent bed sores from forming and save patients from the pain and suffering associated with them.

If you or a loved one has suffered from bedsores as a result of negligent care and treatment by a health care provider, please contact our office today to see if we can be of assistance to you.

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