Fecal-Incontinence Monitor

描述（由申请人提供）： 该项目的目标是为大便失禁患者开发一种传感器系统，以提醒个人，或向他们的卫生保健服务人员发送一个排便信号，并需要注意。我们的目标是最终产生一个小型便携式电池操作的光学|该传感系统可以由失禁患者佩戴。该系统将采用一次性传感器放置在个人的内衣，这将作为，像一个“嗅探器”，并响应与排便相关的气味。第二阶段的具体目标和研究包括以下内容：将设计和制造具有电子报告/数据记录功能的可穿戴粪便监测系统。这些最初将用于在失禁患者所穿的内裤内进行主动感测，获得跟踪数据，从而产生关于康复护理设施中的老年人群中通常每天遇到的背景信号水平的信息。该连续监测数据将用于改进传感器信号鉴别方案，该方案旨在定义指示粪便事件的系统“警报触发器”。在对传感器进行识别编程后，将对失禁患者进行临床试验，以建立粪便监测系统的灵敏度和选择性。其他患者试验将通过长期临床交叉研究证明粪便监测对失禁患者的医疗和心理益处。缩短患者暴露于粪便物的持续时间是该监护仪提供的关键医疗保健益处。通过减少接触时间，应该有直接的医疗效益，减少频率，严重程度，和相关的费用，治疗粪便-皮肤接触相关的皮肤感染，疮，尿路感染。除了改善失禁患者的生活质量和尊严外，预计监测还将有助于延长独立生活，大幅减少医疗保健支出，因为失禁是决定进入辅助护理设施的一个主要因素。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to develop a sensor system for fecal-incontinent patients to alert the individual, or send a signal to their health-care attendants, of a bowel movement and that attention is required. The objective is to ultimately produce a small portable battery operated optical| sensing system that can be worn by the incontinent patient. The system will employ a disposable sensor placed in an individual's undergarment, which will act, like a "sniffer" and respond to odor associated with defecation. Specific aims and the research of Phase II encompass the following: Wearable fecal monitoring systems with electronic reporting/data logging capability will be designed and fabricated. These will be initially used to actively sense within briefs worn by incontinent patients, obtaining tracking data yielding information about background signal level that are typically encountered day-to-day within an elderly population in a convalescent care facility. This continuous monitoring data will be used to refine sensor signal discrimination schemes designed to define the system's "alarm triggers" indicating a fecal event. After programming sensors for discrimination, clinical trials with incontinent patients will sere to establish the sensitivity and selectivity of the fecal monitoring system. Additional patient trials will demonstrate medical and psychological benefits of fecal monitoring to incontinent patients through long-term clinical crossover study. Reduction of the duration of patient exposure to fecal matter is the critical health-care benefit this monitor provides. By reducing exposure time, there should be direct medical benefits of reduced frequency, severity, and associated cost of treating fecec-skin contact related skin infections, sores, and urinary tract infections. In addition to improving the quality of life and dignity of the incontinent, monitoring is expected to help prolong independent living, with significant reduction in health-care dollars spent, because incontinence is a major factor contributing to the decision to enter an assisted care facility.