Pressure-mitigation apparatuses for improved treatment of respiratory illnesses and associated systems and methods
Introduced here are pressure-mitigation apparatuses able to mitigate the pressure applied to a human body by the surface of an object. A controller device can be fluidically coupled to a pressure-mitigation device that includes a series of selectively inflatable chambers. When a pressure-mitigation device is placed between a human body and a surface, the controller device can continuously, intelligently, and autonomously circulate air through the chambers of the pressure-mitigation device. As further discussed below, the controller device may cause the chambers to be selectively inflated, deflated, or any combination thereof. Such an approach is useful in a variety of contexts. For example, pressure-mitigation apparatuses may be used to improve treatment of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses and patients who are partially or completely immobilized for extended durations (e.g., as part of a medical procedure).
1. A method comprising:
identifying a patient who is a candidate for treatment of a respiratory illness;
obtaining a portable system that includes—
a pressure-mitigation device that has a geometric arrangement of inflatable chambers, and
a controller configured to independently pressurize each of the inflatable chambers by regulating one or more flows of air;
deploying the pressure-mitigation device on a surface on which the patient is to be immobilized;
orienting the patient in a prone position such that an anterior anatomical region is located adjacent the pressure-mitigation device; and
causing the portable system to shift a point of pressure applied by the surface to the anterior anatomical region by pressurizing the inflatable chambers to varying degrees in accordance with a programmed pattern.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to regulate the one or more flows of air based on a weight of the patient.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
inputting the weight of the patient via an interface generated by the controller.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
orienting the patient in a supine position such that a posterior anatomical region is located adjacent the pressure-mitigation device.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the patient is oriented in the supine position responsive to the portable system generating a notification that indicates a treatment regimen requires the patient be turned.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respiratory illness is a chronic respiratory disease.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respiratory illness is an acute respiratory disease.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the anterior anatomical region is the thorax.
9. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the inflatable chambers are in an inflated state upon deployment of the pressure-mitigation device, and
wherein the programmed pattern causes the point of pressure to shift by sequentially deflating different inflatable chambers.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said orienting involves constraining the patient with a structural feature that is located adjacent the surface.
11. A method comprising:
identifying a patient who is a candidate for treatment of a respiratory illness;
obtaining a portable system that includes—
a pressure-mitigation device that has a geometric arrangement of inflatable chambers, and
a controller configured to independently pressurize each of the inflatable chambers by regulating one or more flows of air;
deploying the pressure-mitigation device on a surface on which the patient is to be immobilized;
orienting the patient in a supine position such that a posterior anatomical region is located adjacent the pressure-mitigation device; and
causing the portable system to shift a point of pressure applied by the surface to the posterior anatomical region by pressurizing the inflatable chambers to varying degrees in accordance with a programmed pattern.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving an indication that a treatment regimen has been completed; and
removing the pressure-mitigation device from the surface responsive to determining that the patient is no longer positioned on the surface.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the indication is representative of an electronic notification generated by a network-accessible server system that is communicatively connected to the portable system.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the indication is representative of an audible notification or a visual notification generated by the portable system.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
orienting the patient in a prone position such that an anterior anatomical region is located adjacent the pressure-mitigation device.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said orienting is performed responsive to the portable system generating a notification that indicates a treatment regimen requires the patient be turned.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the programmed pattern is associated with the posterior anatomical region.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the programmed pattern causes voids to be created beneath known anatomical structures within, or proximate to, the posterior anatomical region in a predetermined, non-repetitive manner.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the programmed pattern is representative of a non-repeating algorithm that considers data indicative of pressure of each inflatable chamber of the pressure-mitigation device.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the posterior anatomical region is the sacral region.