Thursday, April 25, 2024
4/25/2024
Project Summary/Abstract Medical adhesives are ubiquitous through healthcare in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and in the majority of all other inpatient and outpatient settings, comprising various medical products, such as tapes, dressings, electrodes and ostomy supplies. Preterm and full-term infants in a typical NICU setting require constant monitoring and have these adhesives applied and removed from their fragile skin many times a day. Medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI) includes mechanical problems such as skin stripping, skin tears, and tension blisters; dermatitis reactions such as irritant contact dermatitis and allergic dermatitis; and other complications such as skin maceration and folliculitis. The most common seen in neonatal patients is epidermal or skin stripping, and is a known problem among caregiver staff in the NICU. In a 2001 evidence-based study performed in over 50 US nurseries and involving 2820 preterm and term neonates, adhesives were shown to be the primary cause of observed skin breakdown. Preventing MARSI is critical; yet, secure fixation of medical life support equipment is imperative. The StandOff vital signs monitor is a solution that allows continuous, non-contact monitoring of vital signs of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. Because there are no adhesives or any other contacting parts involved, there is no potential stripping of skin due to the monitor, nor any added risk of infection to the baby. The monitor uses ultra-wide band (UWB) micro-Doppler radar technology to assess patients from a distance. The StandOff system can provide real-time monitoring of crucial physiological parameters, including heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, and movement. These parameters are essential to ensure the safety of the baby until he or she has grown and matured to a state stable and healthy enough to be discharged to go home. If successful, the paradigm will be expanded to other applications such as the intensive care unit (ICU), postoperative monitoring, and emergency and disaster patient triage/management.
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