Importance

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Abstract

The mattress includes a hollow, elongated, fluid-inflated mattress body which may be permanently inflated or inflatable and deflatable by connection with a suitable inflation device. The mattress also includes a selectively inflatable patient support component which is disposed generally centrally of the mattress body and is connected thereto. The support component includes a number of cells which are individually connected to a device capable of individually inflating and deflating each of the cells to facilitate support of the patient's body, while lying on the mattress, and to minimize the development of bed sores. The support component inflation device preferably is both manually and automatically controlled. The support component's cells may be elongated, parallel, preferably transversely extending tubes, or a grid of inflatable pockets or the like. In one embodiment, the mattress body comprises a number of contiguous, longitudinally extending tubes connected to a manifold and simultaneously inflatable and deflatable. The mattress has improved properties over conventional inflatable mattresses.

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First Claim