Wireless Sensor Inserts for Combating Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis

Incontinence affects almost two thirds of nursing home residents and half of acute care patientsHalf of these incontinence patients and a third of diapered children suffer from incontinence associated dermatitisIADa skin inflammation resulting from exposure to urine and or feces as a result of incontinenceIAD increases the risk of developing microbial skin infections and pressure ulcersDelays in changing a patientandapos s diaper or brief are cited as the leading cause of IADYetno guidance is given to determine when a patient has an incontinence eventJPTechnologiesIncproposes to develop wireless sensor inserts to monitor a patientandapos s brief or diaper for incontinence episodesThe goal for our sensor inserts is to provide caregivers with real time data on their patientandapos s needs so brief and diaper changes can be performed as needed rather than by scheduleWith our sensor insertscaregivers can better manage incontinence by limiting their patientandapos s exposure to soiled briefs and diapersThe Phase I research demonstrated the effectiveness of our sensor circuits to detect and distinguish different types of wasteurinefecesand mixtures of the twowithin seconds of exposureThe ability to differentiate urine from feces from mixtures of the two is unique and will help identify when patients are most at risk for IADIn Phase IIwe will develop patient ready inserts and nursing home ready readersAn exploratory study is proposed to demonstrate that the sensor system can improve quality of carereduced incontinence exposure timesincrease individualization of careand improve health outcomes with reduced incidence of IAD and PrUs in a nursing home population Over half of hospitalized patients and nearly two out of three nursing home residents suffer from incontinenceUp to a half of the incontinent are afflicted with incontinence associated dermatitis which increases their risk of microbial skin infections and pressure ulcersSuccessful demonstration of the sensor inserts will lower a patientandapos s exposure time to soiled briefs and diapers and promise a new approach to managing incontinenceone that produces better health outcome