Squirrel Medical is a UK-based company which specialise in the design, development and manufacture of a range of innovative and technologically advanced pressure relieving products. Dynamic Air Mattress Design.

1. The Squirrel Medical
Range Of Pressure
Relieving Products

2. Squirrel Medical is a UK-based company which specialise in the design,
development and manufacture of a range of innovative and technologically
advanced pressure relieving products. Initially these products were tailor-
made for the domestic and/or care home environment. However, in recent
years there has been a rise in demand for these systems within more formal
care environments such as NHS hospitals, Loan Stores and larger nursing
home facilities. The mattresses they have developed are designed to meet
the stringent financial, clinical and technical needs of these environments
including the issues of prevention of bed falls, reduced motion sickness and
ease of use.

3. A Focus On Cell Size
Ongoing research into the mechanisms of pressure damage and user
feedback has always been pivotal in the design of Squirrel Medical
products. As new findings are made public, the company has continually
refined and developed its product range to provide customers and users
with the optimum performance product. Similarly, the company has always
listened to what users have to say, refining product features and developing
new and innovative approaches to pressure ulcer management. One key
area of development that has proven popular with users and carers alike has
been the design of the air-cells used with the Squirrel Medical flagship
products.
Dynamic alternating air-cell technology has a long-proven record of clinical
and cost effective pressure ulcer prevention and management. However,
some issues do remain with their use. While many manufacturers are
content to sweep these issues under the carpet, Squirrel Medical has taken
these concerns and comments to develop a new approach to dynamic air
mattress design.

4. Traditionally, full replacement dynamic air mattresses have relied on deep,
wide cells to provide the support surface. These cells deform to enable the
individual to become "immersed" or partially immersed within the mattress
body. Alternating the air in this type of cell does re-distribute pressure,
periodically loading and unloading tissues to effect tissue oxygenation.
However this action can come at a price; deep cells can allow the body of
the individual to slip between the cells during the cyclical dynamic action.
This gross action can cause discomfort as much of the body is unsupported
and tissue distortion can develop leading to the generation of shear forces.
Some individuals' also complain of sleep disturbances and nausea while on
this form of mattress. In addition, deep cells can affect patient stability,
particularly when the individual is at the edge of the mattress and raise the
height of the support surface which can further reduce the individuals'
ability to get in and out of bed without assistance - it also affects the safety
of standard bed rails when these are used (Harrington, 2012).
In response, Squirrel Medical has developed a new suite of mattresses
which incorporate an increased number of narrow conforming cells. This is
equally efficient as conventional air mattress technology at redistributing
pressure as proven in mattress pressure testing, but reduces the "gap"
between individual pressure loading points, reducing discomfort and
reducing the risks of "bottoming-out", tissue distortion and motion-
activated nausea. In addition, this mattress design has significant
improvements in manual handling and patient-initiated self-positioning,
assisting users and carers alike. This latter design feature has been further
refined in some products by reducing the depth of each cell and fitting a
lower tier static air support layer of cells (Baker, 2012). This provides a
stable mattress surface ideal when individuals are undergoing physiotherapy
and rehabilitation, but which still provides outstanding pressure relief.

5. Contact Us At
Squirrel Medical®
By Phone:
0845 003 7979
By Email
sales@squirrelmedical.co.uk