Agiliti Releases an Alternating Pressure Overlay for Pressure Injury Prevention

Agiliti has launched Capillaire, a low-profile alternating air pressure support surface that delivers dynamic pressure redistribution and is clinically proven to prevent and treat perioperative pressure injuries (PI) in surgeries lasting longer than two hours. The overlay is compatible with most operating room (OR) tables and stretcher platforms across surgical, perioperative, and emergency care environments.

“Pressure injuries remain a significant challenge for healthcare providers, particularly during extended surgeries or prolonged emergency department stays,” said Tim McCarty, general manager of Beds and Therapeutic Surfaces at Agiliti. “Capillaire is the industry’s only low-profile alternating air pressure support surface, designed to deliver continuous micro-offloading and enhanced skin perfusion for patients where repositioning is limited or not possible—helping to significantly reduce the risk of hospital-acquired pressure injuries.”

According to AORN guidelines, time in the OR beyond two hours is an intrinsic risk factor for perioperative pressure injury, and patients at high risk should be placed on an alternating air pressure support surface. In fact, 23% of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI) occur intraoperatively during surgeries lasting more than three hours.¹ Pressure injury risk increases about 33% for every 30 minutes beyond four hours in the OR.²

Capillaire is designed to help care teams reduce these risks through improved perfusion and micro-offloading. Features include:

• Geometric series of air-filled nodes that alternate inflation and deflation in five-minute cycles
• Low profile (<1”) multi-patient design to maintain procedural position
• Compatibility with a wide range of OR and stretcher surface sizes, including pediatric, stretcher, and multiple OR table configurations
• Compact, quiet controller with easy portability and a 15-foot latching power cord for flexible OR setups

Studies have shown the Capillaire alternating pressure overlay’s clinical effectiveness can help reduce OR-related HAPI rates from 11% to 0% in cardiovascular patients³ and perioperative pressure injuries from 6% to 0% in neurosurgical patients.⁴

Agiliti manufactures and provides essential medical and surgical equipment to the U.S. healthcare industry. Agiliti serves more than 10,000 national, regional, and local acute care and alternate site providers nationally. For more than eight decades, Agiliti has delivered medical device management and service solutions that help healthcare providers reduce costs, increase operating efficiencies, and support optimal patient outcomes.

References
¹ Primiano M, Friend M, McClure C, Nardi S, Fix L, Schafer M, Savochka K, McNett M. Pressure ulcer prevalence and risk factors during prolonged surgical procedures. AORN J. 2011 Dec;94(6):555-66.
² Schoonhoven L, Defloor T, van der Tweel I et al (2002) Risk indicators for pressure ulcers during surgery. Appl Nurs Res 15(3): 163–73.
³ Pittman, Joyce; Horvath, Dawn; Beeson, Terrie; Bailey, Karrie; Mills, Annie; Kaiser, BTS-1000N-0326 © 2026 Agiliti Health, Inc. Laura; Hall, Deborah K.; Sweeney, Jennifer. Pressure Injury Prevention for Complex Cardiovascular Patients in the Operating Room and Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing 48(6):p 510- 515, November/December 2021.
⁴ Joseph, Jain; McLaughlin, Dylan; Darian, Vigen; Hayes, Lillian; Siddiqui, Aamir. Alternating Pressure Overlay for Prevention of Intraoperative Pressure Injury. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing 46(1):p 13-17, January/February 2019. | DOI: 10.1097/WON.0000000000000497.