Medical Applications — Pressure

The wool fibres and staples, held intact by the tanned skin, enable the Australian Medical Sheepskin to provide support while relieving pressure by distributing the load of a patient over a large area, minimizing interface pressures. The pressure distribution must be as uniform as possible with a highly deformable interface and a constant resistance to compression (1). The fibre density and length must be such that the patient does not 'bottom out' on the skin surface and create localized pressure increases. The following points support the claim for pressure relieving properties of sheepskins: At the simplest level, there is an...

A Curse Worth Exorcising Pressure ulceration continually challenges the health professional to deliver the appropriate preventative care. Unfortunately, bed sores remain an unacceptably frequent occurrence in many Australian health institutions and costs the country over $350 million per annum! Despite the availability of risk assessment tools, pressure relieving and reducing aids and a considerable body of preventative information, the curse of pressure ulceration and bedsore development has not been exorcised! There are a few uncomplicated clinical practices which the health professional can follow to prevent pressure ulceration. They include determining the level of patient risk, the method for redistribution of patient...