Medical Applications

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...

Wool Pile The Secret to the Therapeutic Value of Sheepskin It is the wool fibres, each individually held intact by the tanned skin of the sheep, which contribute to the woolskin's value as a medical product. Interfaced between patient and bed, they reduce pressure, friction and moisture - the primary causes of pressure sores. Pressure sores are a result of tissue breakdown due to prolonged compression of tissue and the subsequent reduction of capillary blood flow in tissue between skeletal prominences and the body's external environment. The causes are pressure at susceptible sites, friction or shear forces at the point...

A Medical Practitioner's Perspective Pressure Ulcers on the Increase One of my dear, elderly patients was recently discharged from a teaching hospital after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia. The discharge summary claims the operation was a complete success but notes that "the patient developed heel ulcers during convalescence" which will be "looked after by the community nurses". During my 30 years in general practice, I have witnessed the increasing technical sophistication of hospital care, but I still despair when I see my patients develop stage 4 pressure ulcers on their heels. Sadly, my patients are developing pressure ulcers far...

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...

Animal Wound Care May 2, 2005 This colt was born to be a registered cutting horse. It had been kicked and bitten by a gelding since birth resulting in the wounds as shown. Note: The shear cliff face edges of the wounds and the tunnelling that is occurring. Drains had been inserted into the wounds to extricate moisture from the wounds (these are wounds in progression not regression). Treatment: Use Australian medical sheepskin (AMS) as a dressing changed every day and held in place by a half pair of pyjama pants. Each (AMS) dressing is machine washed in Skinsan detergent and tumble...