a bed with a mattress whose upper surface is perforated with thousands of holes, through which air is forced under pressure. The patient is thus supported, like a hovercraft, on a cushion of air. This type of bed is invaluable for the treatment of patients with large areas of burns.
A container made of metal, ?bre or plastic into which a person con?ned to bed can defaecate and, in the case of a female, urinate. Men use a urinal – a ?ask-shaped container – to urinate. Hospitals have special cleaning and sterilising equipment for bedpans. They are much less used than in the past because patients are encouraged to be mobile as soon as possible, and also because bedside commodes are preferred where this is practical.... bedpan
(English) From the castle Bedegraine, Bedegrain, Bedegrane, Bedegraene, Bedegrayn, Bedegraen... bedegrayne
A development of the conventional air-beds. Their essential feature is a mattress which is alternately pressurised by a compressor to create a gentle rippling e?ect along the entire length of the mattress. This provides a continuous massaging motion which stimulates the circulation and helps to maintain the nutrition of the skin, thereby reducing the risk of bed sores (see ULCER – Decubitus ulcer).... ripple beds
A term used to describe a person who is unable to leave their bed due to illness or injury. People most likely to be bedridden are the very elderly, the terminally ill, and those paralysed as the result of an accident.... bedridden
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