General Information |
1) |
What makes Tridien's systems the best on the market? |
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Tridien's desire is to meet, or exceed, customer requirements regarding both products and cost. Our bias is for customer satisfaction, optimum therapeutic results and safe patient outcomes. We truly care about helping you and your patients as much as you do. As a result Tridien Medical has had tremendous growth since it began in 1992. We were also awarded "Manufacturer of the Year" in 2004 by the South Florida Manufacturers Association. We also proudly achieved and have maintained ISO 13485: 2003 Certification in August 2004. |
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2) |
How do I find a dealer in my area? |
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A simple call to our Sales or Customer Service Dept @ 1-800-474-4225, 9am - 5pm Eastern US time Monday-Friday will allow us to help you in locating a dealer in your area. |
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3) |
What is the purpose of Alternating Pressure? |
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Alternating Pressure is a vital key to addressing one of the primary causes of pressure wounds - constant and/or excessive pressure. The alternating (inflation/deflation) of air inside chambers we call "cells" creates pressure relief to the body and can be a critical method of wound care for anyone suffering from pressure sores. |
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4) |
What Causes Bed Sores / Pressure Ulcers? |
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There can be many factors that contribute to skin breakdown. Some of them are: Inadequate hydration or nutrition, lack of mobility due to injury, age or other condition, excessive moisture next to the patients skin and pressure points created by any bony protrudence such as the tailbone or heel or a combination of these factors. Clinical Studies posted here on our website show that Tridien Medical's Mattress Systems have been proven to be an integral aid in pressure relief of pressure sores. |
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5) |
How do I know which Tridien system to use? |
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Tridien offers many systems that fit a variety of patient conditions including severity of wounds and level of care needed. Call our knowledgeable Sales Staff @ 1-800-474-4225, 9am - 5pm Eastern US time Monday-Friday and we will be happy to help you with this decision. |
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6) |
Does Tridien Medical do Pressure Mapping? |
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Our experienced design engineers use pressure mapping as one of many tools in the development of each product to verify the level of pressure relief or pressure reduction for each mattress system. |
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7) |
What is the importance of displaying the pressure settings? |
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Displaying the actual real-time pressure inside your mattress helps the patient and care giver know that the controller is providing the air movement necessary for the prevention/healing process needed to treat bed sores. Our SENTRY 1200 and STAGE IV/Millennium systems digitally display these pressure values. The pressure readings are also very helpful in troubleshooting your mattress system. |
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Durability, Warranty, Repair |
8) |
How long will my system last? |
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Tridien's products have an official lifetime expectancy of five years but many last much longer. One customer had kept their Stage IV system running constantly for seven years before needing any repair. |
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9) |
How long is my warranty? |
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The length of your warranty depends on which system is purchased. You can refer to your manual or if needed you can download a pdf file directly from our website. All of the Operations Manuals indicate the length of your warranty specific to your product. Below is an abbreviated version of Tridien's Warranty Policy. Stage IV & Millennium Systems
Compressor Pump (inside controller): 3 Years
Electronic Controller: 2 Years
Soft Goods: 1 Year
Primary Care, Sentry & Air Chair Systems
Compressor Pump (inside controller): 2 Years
Electronic Controller: 1 Year
Soft Goods: 1 Year
Battery: 6 Months
Recliner Chair: 2 Years
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10) |
Do I have the option to extend my warranty? |
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Yes. However the extended warranty only applies to the electronic controller and the cost varies according to type and number of years you wish to extend the warranty. Also, this feature must be purchased within 60 days of original purchase. |
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11) |
What if I lose my manual? |
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You have two easy options. You can call our Customer Service Dept @ 1-800-474-4225, 9am - 5pm Eastern US time Monday-Friday , give us your address and we will be happy to send you a copy free of charge or you can download a pdf file of your manual directly from our website. Simply go to our home page and click on "Operations Manuals" under the Resources button. Then select the file that applies to your system, print and/or save to your computer. |
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12) |
How do I get my Tridien system repaired? |
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An easy process has been established for anyone to get their product repaired. You can call our Customer Service Dept @ 1-800-474-4225, 9am - 5pm Eastern US time Monday-Friday but before you call please make sure of two things to ensure prompt service: 1) your equipment is clean, otherwise there will be an additional cleaning charge or the product may be returned to you at Tridien's discretion, and 2) have the following information ready when you call: Product Name, such as Sentry Mattress, Serial Number which is located on the ID tag and an accurate description of the problem. We will then issue you an RMA number to be written on the box or address label. Ship to our address in South Florida which can be found on our Home Page/Company Information/Contact button. |
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Functions and Settings |
13) |
What are the correct settings for me? |
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The pressure settings actually depend on several factors: system type, patient height and weight or patient ambulant mobility. Your operation manual can help you enter the proper settings for your circumstances. You may also speak with your clinician, nurse or local dealer for helpful information. Otherwise you can call our Customer Service Dept @ 1-800-474-4225, 9am - 5pm Eastern US time Monday-Friday for assistance. |
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14) |
When do I use my pump's "Chair " mode? |
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The "CHAIR" mode was designed to be used solely with an actual chair system designed by Tridien Medical. The Recliner 550 using Tridien's technology is an example. If used when pump is connected to a mattress the pump will alarm as the set pressure for a mattress cannot be reached in "CHAIR" mode. |
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15) |
What does "Low Air Loss" mean? |
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"Low Air Loss" is an industry wide phrase used to describe the part of the therapy that deals with the secondary factors of woundcare such as heat and moisture. Currently only Tridien's Stage IV and TheraTurn systems offer a patented method of Micro-Vent Technology that allows a low and intermittent flow of air to actually reach the patients skin. This is the most effective way to achieve "Low Air Loss" Please remember that there is no actual "loss" of air and this function whether in use or not cannot cause the alarm to activate on Tridien systems that offer this feature. |
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16) |
What is the Low Air Loss flow rate of the Stage IV / Millennium Series? |
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The flow rate is approximately 15 lpm (liters per minute) |
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17) |
What does "Fowler Boost" mean? |
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A person who is sitting up in bed is said to be in the "Fowler" position. When this occurs more of the patients weight is put on the center of the body and therefore the center of the mattress. When the "Fowler" boost is activated on the Stage IV 3000 the pump will add 20% more pressure to each cell in the trunk section of the mattress during the following cycle. On the Stage IV 2000 pump there will be a 20% increase on the entire length of the mattress. |
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18) |
What is the "CPR" release for? |
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The "CPR" release is designed to be a quick release of all necessary air pressure in the mattress so that appropriate medical personnel can perform proper CPR if a patient conditions requires such a treatment. It can easily be closed at the end of the treatment ensuring that the mattress will reinflate for normal operation. See your operation manual for the location of your systems cpr pull. |
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19) |
How do I know if I need "Low Air Loss" versus "Alternating Pressure"? |
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Both features can be used as a clinician may see fit. The Low Air Loss is designed to augment the Alternating Pressure as part of a patients therapy. These two therapies are often combined for maximum benefit to the patient. |
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20) |
What is "Max Inflate" used for? |
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This mode is designed to create a firm surface which is helpful with several things such as bathing or changing the patients clothing. It may also be useful when transfering the patient in or out of the bed or when transferring a patient from another bed such as in a hospital setting. It is a "temporary" mode meaning that if you forget to turn it off it will revert back automatically to the previous settings after 20 minutes. This function only works in "ST IV" mode and is unavailable with the Primary Care and Air Chair products. |
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21) |
Can I change the cycle time? |
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This feature is only available on some models. Please refer to your manual to see if your system has this advanced feature. |
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Cleaning and Troubleshooting |
22) |
How do I clean my pump, mattress and cover? |
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An effective cleaning method is outlined in the manual for each system. Refer to the correct manual for complete instructions for cleaning. |
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23) |
How often do I change the filter? |
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SENTRY/PC Pump Series - The filter should be checked every 30 days. If dirty, the filter should be dusted or vacuumed. CAUTION! DO NOT attempt to remove filter or filter cover assembly. IMPORTANT! Good filter maintenance is critical in keeping your SENTRY/PC controller in optimal operating condition. Failure to keep the filters clean could result in system downtime and increased repair costs. Stage IV/Millennium Series - The filter should be cleaned at least every 30 days. The filter is located on the bottom of the controller. The filter can be cleaned in two different ways.
1) Use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner for a quick cleaning.
2) Unplug the controller and place it on its front face. Snap out the plastic filter grill and remove the filter. Rinse with water and air or pat dry. Put the filter carefully back into the filter housing and snap filter grill into place. |
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24) |
What if my pump display not working? |
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There could be several reasons. Check the following before calling for assistance. Make sure the controller is plugged into a working outlet or may not be turned on at the power switch. If these actions prove unsuccessful please call our Customer Service Dept @ 1-800-474-4225, 9am - 5pm Eastern US time Monday-Friday to return your equipment for repair. |
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25) |
Why is my pump alarming? |
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The pump will alarm for only one basic reason: It cannot reach the "Set Pressure". However there can be several contributing factors for this. 1) The pump may be in "CHAIR" mode and is not currently connected to a Tridien Air Chair product. If so push the "CHAIR" button once to de-activate. 2) The CPR may be open or loose from the hose assy. Closing the CPR on the Hospital Grade mattress or plugging the hoses with the Regular Orange CPR will resolve this problem. If you cannot find the cpr pull check your operation manual for it's location. 3) The supply hoses may be kinked. Straightening out the kink will resolve this problem. 4) A small leak may have developed in a air cell or section of tubing. Check all hoses and air cells for leaks. You may use a small amount of soapy water in a spray bottle to help find the leak. Some of the spare parts for repairing the mattress can be purchased if you desire or you can return your system for our experienced repair technicians to handle the problem for you. See FAQ "How do I get My Tridien system repaired?". |
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26) |
What if I lose power? |
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Not to worry. Simply turn your pump off and unplug it so as to prevent possible damage when power is restored. Unless you have a power spike or the power circuit is hit by lightning the pump should continue to work after power is restored. Tridien's custom designed valves in most of the mattress pumps will close and retain at least some air pressure for a while after losing power. The pressure retained will depend on several factors: 1) The mode of the pump, 2) Condition of system, 3) Weight of patient, 4) Cycle timing at time of power outage. It will not hold air indefinitely. |
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27) |
What is the weight capacity for the mattresses? |
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Weight capacity varies greatly depending on the system you have purchased. Refer to your operation manual to verify your systems weight limit. If you cannot locate your manual you can download one from this website. If you would prefer you can call 1-800-474-4225, ask for Customer Service and one can be mailed to you free of charge. |
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28) |
How long will it take for my system to fully inflate? |
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The ST IV and Millennium series will inflate the mattress in about 8-10 minutes. The Sentry/PC series will inflate the mattress in about 20 minutes. |
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29) |
How much power does my system use? |
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Power usage varies according to pump type and electrical voltage of the country in which you live. Refer to your system's manual for specific information. |
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30) |
Why is part of my mattress deflated? |
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If every other air cell in your mattress is deflated and the controller is not alarming then your system is most likely working properly. This feature is accomplished by the "Alternating Pressure" or "AP" mode on your pump. |
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