L2M NSERC - Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) Smart Garments

重症监护病房获得性无力(ICUAW)是指患者在ICU期间出现的肌肉无力，出院后可能会持续数年。对于66岁或以上的患者，在呼吸机上呼吸2周或更长时间，50%将经历永久性肌肉萎缩和无力，导致终身残疾，并导致功能独立性丧失，生活质量下降，卫生资源利用率和成本增加。提供预防ICUAW的治疗方案很少。神经肌肉电刺激(NMES)在肢体损伤后，在负荷和运动受限的情况下，对维持肌肉质量和力量非常有效。NMES已经在ICU进行了试验，但在实践上和经济上都是不可行的，因为目前的设备只允许短期治疗，一次只有一个肌肉组的治疗师不断监测和调整方案。我们正在开发智能纺织品服装(腿部长袜和手臂袖子)，使日常生活活动所需的上肢和下肢肌肉能够进行自动化、持续的NMES治疗。我们的技术将允许由一名治疗师通过特定患者和ICU协调仪表板同时管理多名患者的治疗。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和其他地方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.