When we think of how a wheelchair cushion
provides protection against skin breakdown
and pressure injuries, we typically think of how it
distributes the client’s weight. We think of offloading and
contouring, and different cushion materials, sometimes
used in tandem.

But today’s buzzword
is microclimate, the
interface between the
user and the cushion.
When heat and
moisture get trapped
there, clients can be
at greater risk of skin
breakdown, especially
if they use their wheelchairs
for long periods.

Now, Sunrise Medical
has taken a new
approach to this perennial
seating problem.

Active Cooling

It’s called Cryo
Technology, and it works actively, not passively, to cool.

“With traditional cushions on the market today,
seated skin surface temperature can rise, leading to an
increased risk in skin breakdown,” said Tom Ryan, JAY
Product Manager. “JAY Fluid with Cryo Technology was
developed to address not only pressure and shear, but
to take skin protection seating a step further, addressing
temperature and moisture. By cooling the skin surface
temperature, you naturally reduce potential moisture
associated with localized perspiration at the surface
between the cushion and user.”

Cryo Technology, Ryan explained, is based on the
Second Law of Thermodynamics: “Heat will naturally flow
from an object with a higher temperature to an object
with a lower temperature. JAY Fluid with Cryo pulls heat
from the user, absorbing it through the melting paraffin
within the microbeads. In addition to microbeads,
JAY Fluid with Cryo contains graphite to make it more
thermally conductive. The graphite serves two purposes:
It more effectively conducts heat away from the body,
reducing skin temperature, and the heat from the body
flows into the phase change paraffin material inside the
microbeads, actively sequestering heat from the tissue
and lowering its temperature more than direct conduction
would provide.”

Cooling begins as soon as the client sits down. Ryan
said JAY Fluid with Cryo Technology “was engineered
to mildly cool the skin within a therapeutic, temperate
range of 28-35°C (82.4-95°F), effectively lowering the risk
of skin breakdown.

“JAY Fluid with Cryo actively cools the seated skin
surface for up to eight hours while evenly distributing
pressure, reducing shear and lowering the risk of
moisture,” he added. When the user transfers off, “The
cushion will then naturally ‘recharge’ while not in use as
the paraffin cools back to a solid state.” Sunrise recommends
that JAY Fluid cushions “recharge” for 12 hours at
room temperature to reach peak performance.

Big Benefits from Small Changes

Cryo Technology is available in the JAY Fusion and
JAY Syncra cushions, and despite its high-tech way of
cooling, its maintenance routine is decidedly low tech.

“The great thing about the JAY Fluid with Cryo is that is
does not require any additional maintenance over our
time-tested JAY Flow Fluid,” Ryan said. “The fluid insert
can be wiped with warm water and soap, rinsed with a
clean, damp cloth and wiped dry with a clean cloth.”

Compared to passive cooling methods, such as
breathable cushion covers, Cryo Technology’s active
process has been shown to provide greater cooling
to keep skin within healthier temperature ranges.
“Research has shown lowering skin temperature as little
as 1°C (1.8°F) can reduce the risk of skin breakdown
significantly,” Ryan pointed out. “[This] was designed for
the user who requires superior skin protection and will
be using their wheelchair for extended periods of time
throughout the day.”