סמינר המחלקה להנדסה ביו-רפואית

The role of bioengineering in protecting patients from medical device-related pressure ulcers

Professor Amit Gefen

COVID-19 has brought the effects of pressure ulcers (PUs, also known as pressure injuries) and device-related pressure ulcers (DRPUs) in particular, into sharp focus. With the unprecedentedly high usage of critical care medical devices for the diagnosis and treatment of patients who have COVID-19 with breathing problems, such as noninvasive ventilation by means of continuous positive airway pressure masks or invasive ventilation and feeding tubing in the more severe cases, the incidence of DRPUs has risen starkly. In my departmental seminar, I will explore the currently known aetiology of PUs from a biomechanical and mechanobiological perspective, with focus on the potential PU risks associated with use of medical devices during the current COVID-19 pandemic. I will also describe the worrying mechanobiological links between the known aetiology of PUs and COVID-19. Lastly, I will discuss relevant bioengineering research that is underway and the long-term research & development work needed for minimizing the risk of DRPUs.