L2M NSERC - Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) Smart Garments

重症监护病房获得性虚弱（ICUAW）是指患者在ICU住院期间出现的肌肉无力，可能在出院后持续数年。对于66岁或以上的患者，使用呼吸机2周或更长时间，50%的患者会出现永久性肌肉萎缩和无力，诱发终身残疾，导致功能独立性丧失，生活质量下降，健康资源利用率和成本增加。提供治疗以预防《公约》的选择很少。当负荷和运动受限时，神经肌肉电刺激（NMES）在维持肢体损伤后的肌肉质量和力量方面非常有效。NMES已经在ICU进行了试验，但在实践和经济上都不可行，因为目前的设备只允许短期治疗，需要治疗师一次对一个肌肉群进行持续监测和方案调整。我们正在开发智能纺织服装（腿袜和臂袖），使日常生活活动所需的上肢和下肢肌肉实现自动化，持续的NMES治疗。我们的技术将允许一名治疗师同时管理多名患者的治疗，并具有患者特异性和ICU协调仪表板。我们使用智能纺织品、传感器和机器学习算法的创新将为ICU及其他地区的患者开启这种持续治疗。

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW) is muscle weakness that develops during a patient's ICU stay and may last for years following discharge. For patients 66 or older, on a breathing machine for 2 weeks or longer, 50% will experience permanent muscle wasting and weakness, inducing life-long disability and resulting in loss of functional independence, reduced quality of life and increased health resource utilization and cost.Few options exist to provide therapy to prevent ICUAW. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is highly effective at maintaining muscle mass and strength following limb injury, when loading and exercise is limited. NMES has been trialed in the ICU but it is unfeasible practically and economically because current devices only permit short term treatment, with constant monitoring and protocol adjustment by a therapist of one muscle group at a time. We are developing smart textile garments, (leg stocking and arm sleeve) enabling automated, sustained NMES therapy in the muscles of the upper and lower limbs required for activities of daily living. Our technology will permit simultaneous management of the therapy in multiple patients by one therapist with patient-specific and ICU coordinating dashboards. Our innovation using smart textiles, sensors and machine learning algorithms will unlock this sustaining therapy for patients in the ICU and beyond.