Finite element modeling of a pressure ulcers preventive bed for neonates

Abstract

The continual pressure on a skin surface can hamper blood supply from the subcutaneous regions. Blockage of blood supply is the primary reason for the development of Pressure Ulcers (PUs) in patients admitted to hospitals with impaired mobility. The dermal layer of a preterm neonate is less than 60% of the thickness of an adult and has a much higher susceptibility to developing pressure ulcers. In Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), babies lie down immobile for long hours in fixed positions. Hence, there is a 23% prevalence of PUs in NICUs worldwide. Therefore, it is advised that nursing staff should ensure frequent posture changes to avoid the development of PUs. This leads to an increased workload on them. We designed a Finite Element Modeling (FEM) of a neonatal anti-PU bed made from elastic material with alternating pressure channels and carried out simulations in ABAQUS CAE to validate this problem. We first simulated a neonatal phantom made from hyper-elastic material and laid it down on a flatbed. The pressure on the skin was taken as the baseline. We found that by activating alternating channels, the pressure increases in inflated regions and decreases in deflated regions compared to the baseline. As the inflation and deflation channels will be alternating, no long-term high-pressure points will be formed under the skin.