Prolonged immobilization during transport, such as in combat zones or emergency rescues, poses a life-threatening risk for patients, particularly from pressure injuries. Pressure injuries, also known as bedsores, develop from sustained pressure on the skin and underlying tissues, leading to cell death, tissue breakdown, and open wounds. This is especially problematic for trauma patients being transported for extended periods, such as those who may spend over 16 hours in transport.

Military stretchers and conventional immobilization equipment have been shown to create high-pressure points on vulnerable areas of the body. This increases the risk of pressure injuries, which complicates recovery and increases healthcare costs. Now, researchers have developed an adaptive spine board (ASB) that prevents these injuries during long-range transport by improving pressure distribution.

The ASB, developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, TX, USA) and UT Southwestern Medical School (Dallas, TX, USA), is designed to improve patient outcomes by preventing pressure injuries. The ASB overlay uses air-cell technology to redistribute pressure more effectively than traditional evacuation surfaces. The multi-segmented air-cell design targets pressure-prone areas like the head, neck, back, pelvis, thighs, and feet. It features responsive, sensor-driven pressure modulation, which autonomously adjusts air-cell pressure to maintain optimal support across various conditions.

The system works atop a standard stretcher or spine board, making it compatible with existing medical transport equipment. The device’s design ensures that no body region receives excessive weight, preventing the formation of pressure injuries and offering a significant advancement for trauma and emergency transport. The ASB overlay was tested in a study that compared its performance against conventional immobilization equipment.

The study's results, published in Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering, showed that the ASB outperforms traditional solutions in preventing pressure injuries, demonstrating its effectiveness in both military and civilian applications. The team is now planning further studies to refine the device’s usability in real-world conditions and assess its broader applicability, including for disaster relief and space exploration.

"The ability to dynamically adjust pressure so that no vulnerable body regions experience excessive weight is a breakthrough for medical evacuation,” said Muthu B.J. Wijesundara, Principal Research Scientist at the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute. “This innovation could set a new standard in casualty transport protocols.”

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