Innovative skin protection that’s above and beyond

By Allison Varnum

When developing the Pronova-O₂TM Automated Prone Therapy System and InteliDerm^TM Powered Skin Protection System, our goal was to provide patients with the best product possible. The InteliDerm^TM Powered Skin Protection System was designed to actively manage moisture on the patient’s face and chest, addressing key risk factors for pressure injuries.

Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate (MVTR) measures how much water vapor passes through a material over time. To determine MVTR, a sample is placed between high- and low-humidity environments, and the moisture transfer is measured. Every material has an MVTR value, which helps assess its effectiveness in moisture management¹.

Microclimate refers to the temperature and humidity at the skin’s surface, which play a crucial role in the development of pressure injuries. Maintaining a lower temperature and moisture level helps to maintain homeostasis, lower frictional forces and thereby maintain skin integrity².

Pressure injuries result from prolonged pressure, often over bony prominences, leading to localized skin and soft tissue damage. They can appear as open ulcers or intact skin and may be influenced by factors such as microclimate, nutrition, blood flow, and underlying health conditions³.

The InteliDerm^TM system is designed to reduce these risks by minimizing pressure with highly resilient foam, removing moisture from the skin’s surface, protecting against friction and shear with advanced surface materials, and reducing temperature with active airflow technology.

InteliDerm™ was tested using a sweating guarded hotplate, a device that simulates real-world thermoregulation conditions. The results demonstrate its superior moisture and heat removal capabilities:

• Face Pack: Removes 10x more moisture than a non-powered foam device (190 g/m²/hr)
• Chest Wedge: Removes 3x more moisture than a non-powered foam device (52 g/m²/hr)

Given that areas like the forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, clavicle, shoulders, elbows, and chest are at the highest risk for breakdown in the prone position (as identified by the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel), InteliDerm™ specifically targets these areas for enhanced protection⁴.

To learn more about our results with InteliDerm^TM, view our social media post on March 4, 2025, on all platforms to see graphics from our poster, “A Revolutionary Solution in Reducing Heat & Moisture in the Face and Chest.”  For more detailed information about our products, visit Turn Medical.