Heel Pressure Ulcer PreventionImproving healthcare outcomes for immobile patients

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The Danger of Heel UlcersPressure ulcers and, in particular, heel ulcers are common facility-acquired skin tissue injuries that occur most frequently among immobile patients in long-term, acute care facilities. Surgical patients are among the most susceptible.

Heel ulcers are painful and physically debilitating. Left untreated, they can lead to serious complications, such as infection, cellulitis, osteomyelitis, septicemia, limb amputation, or death, and can increase healthcare and litigation costs.

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Prevalence of Heel Pressure UlcersHeel pressure ulcers occur as the result of direct sustained pressure from lying in a bed. Of particular concern is skin tissue that is compromised by maceration, friction or dryness.

Long-term care facilities report incidences of pressure ulcers among patients as high as 27%, with 23% of the reported cases being heel pressure ulcers. Mortality rates are higher among patients with pressure ulcers, especially elderly patients.1

1 Practice Recommendations for Preventing Heel Pressure Ulcers, Evonne Fowler, RN,CNS, CWOCN; Suzy Scott-Williams, MSN, RN, CWOCN; and James B. McGuire, DPM, PT, CPed, CWS, FAPWCA, Ostomy Wound Management, Oct. 2008 www.heelift.com

Effective Heel Ulcer PreventionThe most effective way to prevent and treat heel pressure ulcers is to reduce the direct pressure applied to the heel when a patient is lying in a prone position. This is typically achieved with a heel offloading boot, also known as a suspension boot.

Using a heel offloading booth affords the following advantages:• Heel elevation in a zero pressure environment• Forefoot support to prevent heel cord

contracture • Ventilation holes and an open leg and forefoot

promote air circulation and increase patient comfort

• Proper positioning to avoid hip rotationwww.heelift.com

Treating Heel Pressure UlcersTreatment of existing heel pressure ulcers may also include the following:

• Cleansing with saline or potable water; surfactants and/or antibacterial agents of low tissue toxicity can be appropriate where debris or bacterial colonization is present.

• Debridement of devitalized tissue should be followed by maintenance debridements.

• Dressing to keep the wound bed moist and the peripheral skin dry.

• Topical antibiotics may be appropriate for tissue infections or bioburdens. Systemic antibiotics are indicated for patients with systemic infection or osteomyelitis.

• Surgery to apply skin grafts may be an appropriate choice to speed closure/epithelialization of clean granulating heel pressure sores. www.heelift.com

The Heelift® SolutionDM Systems offers five exceptional products that provide maximum prevention and help treatment of heel pressure ulcers and ankle foot orthosis:

• Heelift Glide Ultra• Heelift AFO Ultra• Heelift Glide• Heelift AFO• Heelift Classic

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Heelift® Glide UltraThe new Heelift Glide Ultra offloading boot not only provides advanced heel pressure sore prevention, but does so with a new easy-to-clean, cool inner lining.

Heelift Glide Ultra features:

• Ultra Grip inner lining, made of a breathable fabric that can be wiped clean for easier day-to-day maintenance, effectively holds the leg in place.

• Durable, soft, smooth exterior allows the patient’s leg to glide easily across the sheets.

• Extended forefoot area helps protect toes.• Deluxe exterior stitching reinforces the structure of the

heel offloading boot while making the boot less bulky.• Simple application with easy-to-use, soft straps can be

adjusted to accommodate the patient’s specific needs.

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Heelift® AFO UltraThe new Heelift AFO Ultra foot drop device safely holds the ankle in place to promote healing for injury-related foot drop conditions as well as other medical issues.

AFO Ultra features:

• Durable, soft, smooth exterior allows the patient’s leg to glide easily across the sheets.

• Semi-rigid polypropylene brace, along with soft foam and fabric inner lining, that provide the best possible control of the ankle's position and motion while also allowing for limited weight bearing.

• Non-slip traction sole that allows limited weight bearing while also preventing slippage.

• Ultra Grip inner lining made of a breathable fabric that can be wiped clean for easier day-to-day maintenance while effectively holding the leg in place.

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Heelift® GlideThe Heelift Glide redistributes pressure as the heel is floated in protective space.

Heelift Glide features:

• Durable, yet soft, smooth exterior allows the patient’s leg to glide easily across the sheets.

• Forefoot strap keeps the heel offloading boot in place and helps support the forefoot.

• Friction-free Tricot backing: Unlike products with sharp edges, Heelift Glide, like all Heelift offloading boots, is manufactured with a smooth tricot backing that aids in patient mobility and safety.

• Tricot-covered stiffener that prevents Heelift Glide from buckling.

• Ventilation holes promote increased patient comfort and provide a cooler heel offloading boot.

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Heelift® AFODM Systems’ original AFO boot offers all of the benefits patients and caregivers have come to expect from an ankle foot orthosis device, and the quality that the Heelift name has offered for more than 30 years.

Heelift AFO features:

• Customizable foam pads allow for customization via a 5-centimeter, beveled fixed pad. The pad elevates the heel and also protects the Achilles tendon. An additional spare pad with an adhesive backing is also included.

• Two types of foam, smooth foam interior or convoluted foam interior, are available for maximum comfort.

• Washable in a net or mesh laundry bag and autoclavablefor sterility, like other Heelift products.

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Heelift® ClassicDM Systems’ original heel suspension boot, the Heelift Classic effectively eliminates pressure from the heel by offloading all pressure from the heel and redistributing the pressure to the calf, preventing the development of heel pressure ulcers.

Heelift Classic features:

• Extended stitching along the top rim narrows the forefoot and increases support to provide improved protection against foot drop, equines deformity, or heel cord contracture.

• “Easy-on, Easy-off” rounded straps can be adjusted to accommodate the patient’s specific needs.

• Ventilation holes that provide additional air circulation to promote increased patient comfort. Heelift is 40% lighter than pillow-style boots.

• Tricot covered stiffener prevents device from buckling for added patient comfort and safety.

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The Five Boot Solution: Heelift® Brand Boots

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