STTR Phase I: Development of Automated Post Operative Rhythm Identification Through Computerized Evaluation of Atrial Signals

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project stems from the development of methods to display and diagnose heart rhythms more accurately and continuously after cardiac surgery. Inadequate post-operative rhythm monitoring remains a significant concern in over 400,000 cardiac surgeries in the United States (US), 30-50% of which result in arrhythmias. Arrhythmias, especially when missed or diagnosed late due to inaccurate or delayed monitoring, often lead to worse patient outcomes, including stroke, cardiac dysfunction, heart failure, and death. These issues are associated with hospital expenses exceeding $9,000 per hospital stay per patient within the growing $8-billion US post-operative cardiac care market. Beyond the significant economic impact, more accurate and continuous post-operative cardiac rhythm monitoring would provide substantial, potentially lifesaving benefits to human health. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to address the limitations of current post-operative rhythm diagnosis using standard surface-based electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. The inadequacy of atrial signal quality makes it challenging or impossible for providers to interpret rhythm accurately. Additionally, significant variations in patient and ECG characteristics limit the utility of current rhythm monitoring systems, impacting the optimal care of critically ill patients. This project will develop and validate a method for continuous rhythm diagnosis and display using the highest quality atrial electrogram. The diagnosis method will be developed, validated, and optimized with real patient data, ensuring adaptability to varying patient, rhythm, and ECG characteristics. The anticipated outcome is a shift from the current labor-intensive, non-real-time, and inconveniently displayed methodology, which requires specialized training, to a real-time, more accurate, continuous, and easily accessible diagnosis system. If successful, this project is expected to substantially improve post-operative care and establish a more accurate standard for post-operative rhythm assessment. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.