Preventable Patient Injury 

Pressure sores also frequently referred to as bed sores or pressure ulcers, are a localised injury caused by pressure to the skin causing underlying tissue to weaken as a result of local necrosis. 

Pressure sores generally occur as a result of sustained pressure to the tissue, predominately to areas with body prominence in which weight is suspended across.

In New Zealand an estimated 55,000 new pressure injuries occur each year. ACC has seen treatment injury claims increase in numbers and cost. Between 2009 and 2016 injury claims increased by 63%. 

New Zealand healthcare sector, including ACC, the Ministry of Health, the Health Quality & Safety Commission and the New Zealand Wound Care Society have developed evidence based guidelines fro the prevention and treatment of pressure sores. 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR PRESSURE INJURY PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND MAY 2017 

Who is at Risk?

• seated in a wheelchair or chair for long periods
• illness or major surgery leaves some one immobile. 
• sedentary people that spend long periods of time in bed
• elderly people. 
• have skin that is often wet from sweat, urine or bowel movements. 
• Have poor hygenic conditions or behaviours
• Reduced sensitivity to pain or pressure (due to stroke, diabetes, spinal cord injury or epidural).

Pressure Sore Symptoms;

Category 1

• An area of skin becomes discoloured – skin tends to get red patches, dark skin can become purple or blue.
• discoloured patches not turning white when pressed
• skin becomes notably warm, spongy or hard
• pain or itchiness in the affected area

Prevention is better than a cure. 

Levabo's Heel up and all-up products are developed with in collaboration with world leading care nurses for the prevention  and treatment of pressure ulcers. Ensuring optimum comfort and hygiene with its soft, skin-friendly, heat dissipation and moisture-absorbent material.

Tested and approved according to ISO 10993-10 skin irritation and hypersensitivity.

Levabo's HeelUp is designed as a single-patient product. This allows us to achieve a very high standard of hygiene and eliminates the need for costly reprocessing.

The Levabo is currently being used in numerous hospitals worldwide. But it is also used for wound treatment in outpatient care.

Experience shows that the Levabo HeelUp and other ranges makes a significant difference in the treatment and prevention of pressure wounds.

If your facility is interested in Levabo

Please contact us:

Sales@oneuprehab.co.nz

0800 734 221  

Levabo Pressure Care Catalogue

 References

1) National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. Pressure Ulcers: Quick Reference Guide, 2014

2) KPMG. The Case for Investment in a Quality Improvement Programme to Reduce Pressure Injuries in New Zealand, 2016

3) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pressure-sores/ 

4) https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/health-a-z/p/pressure-sores-overview/

5 https://www.levabo.dk/de/