A Pervasive Body Sensor Network for Measuring Postoperative Recovery at Home
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Thesis
Abstract
Patients going home following major surgery are susceptible to complications such as wound infection, abscess formation, malnutrition, poor analgesia, and depression, all of which can develop after the fifth postoperative day and slow recovery. Although current hospital recovery monitoring systems are effective during perioperative and early postoperative periods, they cannot be used when the patient is at home. Measuring and quantifying home recovery is currently a subjective and labor-intensive process. This case report highlights the development and piloting of a wireless body sensor network to monitor postoperative recovery at home in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. The device consists of wearable sensors (vital signs, motion) combined with miniaturized computers wirelessly linked to each other, thus allowing continuous monitoring of patients in a pervasive (unobtrusive) manner in any environment. Initial pilot work with results in both the simulated (with volunteers) and the real home environment (with patients) is presented.
Version
Open Access
Date Issued
2007-06
Date Awarded
2010
Citation
Surgical Innovation, 2007, 14 (2), pp.83-90
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Start Page
83
End Page
90
Journal / Book Title
Surgical Innovation
Volume
14
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
Attribution NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND)
Advisor
Darzi of Denham, Professor Lord
Yang, Professor Guang-Zhong
Publisher Department
Department of Biosurgery and Surgical Technology & Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Publisher Institution
Imperial College London
Subjects
RECOVERY
body sensor networks
pervasive
postoperative
Qualification Level
Doctoral
Qualification Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Coverage Spatial
UK