Bedsores develop where the blood is no longer circulating properly. Long periods of pressure resulting from permanently lying down lead to blood vessels being pinched off. Besides a lack of oxygen in the tissue, this causes an accumulation of toxic metabolites that do further damage. Blood clots subsequently develop, and the tissue ultimately dies. Pressure sores can damage the tissue right down to the bones, which is extremely painful for patients and means additional work for staff, who have to treat the wounds. The inventor of Nocubi wasn’t prepared to accept this situation. “By continuously changing the points of contact, our system creates a special form of alternating pressure – the Nocubi effect. Pressure is applied and relieved on an ongoing, alternating basis,” says Dr. Spalek. This peristaltic effect in the vessels is achieved using spring-loaded aluminium rollers that move underneath patients at a barely discernible speed, thereby ensuring the pressure distribution is continuously changing, moving from their feet to their head. The subsequent clinical trial proved the rationale behind the development.“ In a study that Nocubi conducted with the BruderhausDiakonie charitable
foundation, we were able to show that the intervals between repositioning nursing home patients could be increased from one and a half to four hours without any risk. That means these residents only need to be moved twice each night rather than six times – a huge reduction in the staff’s workload,” he emphasises.

Dr. Spalek had a local tradesman make the prototype, but he quickly realised that he needed to think bigger with this project. His search for a production partner took him to a manufacturer of medtech products based in the STERN BioRegion. BEMOTEC GmbH in Reutlingen has 25 years of experience making wheeled walkers and various systems for people with disabilities, and Dr. Spalek found he was preaching to the converted. “This is something very close to our heart given our own family’s experience of bedsores, and Nocubi immediately won us over,” reveals Managing Director Peter Hermann.