Watch how the Envella Air Fluidized Therapy System can help elevate healing for pressure injuries, flaps, grafts, burns and other complex wounds.
Watch how the Envella Air Fluidized Therapy System can help elevate healing for pressure injuries, flaps, grafts, burns and other complex wounds.
For Patients With Advanced Wounds, the Path to Healing Can Be Complex
Pressure Injuries
are associated with 57% longer length of stay, 3X higher mortality rate and 22% higher readmission rates within 30 days1
Flaps
are popular for wound coverage, but 58% of flap surgeries have complications2
Extensive Burns
requiring surgical treatment and prolonged mechanical ventilation accounted for 1,290 admissions in 2020, with an inpatient mortality of 17.8%3
This Is When Fostering a Healing Environment Takes on New Meaning — And New Urgency
Patients with advanced wounds need care that helps them heal more efficiently, protects against complications and envelops them in comfort. We developed the Envella Air Fluidized Therapy System to help your patients effectively heal in comfort with a bed designed specifically for wound care and prevention.4
What is Air Fluidized Therapy?
Air fluidized therapy (AFT) pushes air through a bed of millions of tiny beads. This unique, fluid-like environment creates a sensation like floating on water.5,6
Maximize immersion and envelopment5,6
Minimize shear and pressure5,6
Manage the skin’s microclimate5,6
CMS Places Air Fluidized Therapy in a Class By Itself
CMS and many other professional organizations in wound care place Air Fluidized Therapy in its own category due to their unique therapeutic capabilities.7-10
Air Fluidized Therapy Is Studied and Effective
The evidence for Air Fluidized Therapy is clear. Explore a sampling of studies investigating its benefits across a wide range of use cases.
Critial Nurse Care
Pressure Ulcer Prevention in High-Risk Postoperative Cardiovascular Patients
When one cardiothoracic vascular ICU implemented air fluidized therapy for post-operative patients at risk of developing pressure ulcers, they found both clinical and financial benefits.11
- Fewer Pressure Injuries10
While 28 patients met the criteria for air fluidized therapy, only one developed a pressure injury — compared to 40 pressure injuries among 25 patients in the retrospective group.11
- Lower cost of care per patient10
Patients spent a mean of 7.9 days on the AFT surface. The rental cost was similar to the cost of treating one stage 3 or 4 pressure injury, making it cost-effective.11
The Remington Report
Air Fluidized Therapy vs. Pressure Redistribution Surfaces
A retrospective chart review of 644 residents comparing pressure redistribution surfaces to AFT for treating stage 3-4 pressure injuries showed that AFT resulted in:
- 77% reduction in healing time12
- 66% lower total average cost12
International Wound Journal
Air Fluidized Therapy vs. Fluid Immersion Systems for Pressure Injuries
A two-year acute care study with 40 patients compared complication rates and length of stay for post-operative flap patients on AFT vs. fluid-immersion surfaces. Patients on AFT experienced:
- No maceration or dehiscence13
- 45% shorter lengths of stay13
Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
Comparing Survival Rates for Severely Burned Patients
A retrospective analysis of 110 severely burned patients compared survival rates and total burn surface area reduction for patients on AFT and non-AFT surfaces.
- Survival rates were 74% for those placed on AFT — much higher than the ABSI predicted rate of 20-40% survival14
Dive Deeper Into Air Fluidized Therapy
Envella Air Fluidized Therapy Bed
Read a brief summary of how the Envella bed can help elevate healing for your patients and care teams.
Healing and Prevention for Pressure Injuries
Dig into the evidence illustrating how AFT can help support optimal healing environments for patients with advanced deep-tissue injuries.
Support Healing for Flap & Graft Procedures
Learn how AFT has been shown to reduce complications in post-op flap and graft healing.
- Braden B. “Costs of Pressure Ulcer Prevention. Is it really cheaper than treatment?” NPUAP.
- Bamba R, Madden J, et al. Flap Reconstruction for Pressure Ulcers: An Outcome Analysis. Plastic Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2017;5:e1187; DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000001187.
- American Burn Association. (Updated January 2024) Burn Incidence Fact Sheet. Available at: https://ameriburn.org/resources/burn-incidence-fact-sheet/
- Baxter internal data on file
- Allen L, McGarrah B, Barrett D, Stenson B, Turpin PG, Vangilder C. Air-fluidized therapy in patients with suspected deep tissue injury: a case series. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2012 Sep-Oct;39(5):555-61. doi: 10.1097/WON.0b013e318264c2ec. PMID: 22955306.
- VanGilder C, Lachenbruch CA. Air-fluidized therapy: physical properties and clinical uses. Ann Plast Surg. 2010 Sep;65(3):364-70. doi: 10.1097/SAP.0b013e3181cd3d73. PMID: 20733376.
- Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare policy regarding pressure reducing support surfaces – JA1014. Available at: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-ntracting/contractorlearningresources/downloads/ja1014.pdf
- National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel: Support Surface Standards Initiative (S3I) Terms and Definitions Related to Support Surfaces: Revised: 12/27/2018; 11/19/2019. Available at: https://cdn.ymaws.com/npiap.com/resource/resmgr/website_version_terms_and_de.pdf
- McNichol L, Watts C, Mackey D, Beitz JM, Gray M. Identifying the Right Surface for the Right Patient at the Right Time: Generation and Content Validation of an Algorithm for Support Surface Selection. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2015;42(1):19-37.
- European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. 2019; Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline: The International Guideline 2019. Pp 171. Chapter 10, Support Surfaces.
- Jackson M. McKenney T, Drumm J, et al. Pressure Ulcer Prevention in High Risk Cardiovascular Patients. Critical Care Nurse. 2011:31(4):44-53.
- Cuddigan Janet E, Ayello Elizabeth A. Treating Severe Pressure Ulcers in the Home Setting: Faster Healing and Lower Cost with Air Fluidized Therapy (AFT). The Remington Report, 2004, www.remingtonreport.com.
- Mendoza R, Lorusso G, Ferrer D, et al. A prospective, randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of the fluid immersion simulation system vs. an air-fluidised bed system in the acute postoperative management of pressure ulcers: A midpoint study analysis. International Wound Journal. 2019;16:989-999.
- Nickl S, Fochtmann-Frana, A, Nedomanksy, J, et al. Air-fluidized therapy in the treatment of severe burns: A retrospective study from a burn intensive care unit in Austria. Journal of the Int Society for Burn Injuries. 2019;46:136-142.
- Hillrom International Pressure Ulcer/Injury Prevalence (IPUP) Survey 2010-2020 Trending.
- Wake 2020. Pressure Ulcers: What Clinicians Need to Know. The Permanent Journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912087/