ELECTROLYTIC BIOSENSOR
First Claim
1. An electrolytic biosensor device, comprising:
- a processor configured to access memory media; and
a wireless interface,wherein the memory media store processor instructions executable by the processor to;
balance a bridge circuit that includes a probe installed in a surgical drain at an intracorporeal wound site;
acquire conductivity values from the bridge circuit corresponding to conductivity of a drain effluent in contact with the probe when flowing through the surgical drain;
store the conductivity values; and
transmit the conductivity values via the wireless interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrolytic biosensor for use in intracorporeal leak detection may be incorporated into a surgical drain that is installed post-operatively at the site of a wound. The electrolytic biosensor may be used to monitor drain effluent flowing through the surgical drain by measuring a fluid conductivity of the drain effluent. Certain changes, patterns, or responses of the so measured fluid conductivity values may be indicative of a physiological condition of the wound. For example, when the wound is a gastrointestinal anastomosis, the fluid conductivity values measured with the electrolytic biosensor may be used to characterize a fluid integrity of the gastrointestinal anastomosis. An electrolytic biosensor system may include an application that records conductivity data and provides notifications, such as a patient alarm, when a leak is detected.
7 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrolytic biosensor device, comprising:
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a processor configured to access memory media; and a wireless interface, wherein the memory media store processor instructions executable by the processor to; balance a bridge circuit that includes a probe installed in a surgical drain at an intracorporeal wound site; acquire conductivity values from the bridge circuit corresponding to conductivity of a drain effluent in contact with the probe when flowing through the surgical drain; store the conductivity values; and transmit the conductivity values via the wireless interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of detecting wound integrity using an electrolytic biosensor, comprising:
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determining an expected ingestion profile for a patient ingesting a trace fluid, including estimating a conductivity change over time at a gastrointestinal wound site of the patient; responsive to receiving an indication of the ingesting of the trace fluid, collecting ingestion profile conductivity data using an electrolytic probe at the gastrointestinal wound site of the patient, wherein the electrolytic probe is installed in a surgical drain and is configured to measure conductivity of an effluent fluid flowing from the gastrointestinal wound site through the surgical drain; and analyzing the ingestion profile conductivity data to determine fluid integrity of the gastrointestinal wound site, including comparing the ingestion profile conductivity data with the expected ingestion profile. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable memory media storing processor instructions executable by a processor to operate an electrolytic biosensor device, the processor instructions including instructions executable to:
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balance a bridge circuit that includes an electrolytic probe installed in a surgical drain at an intracorporeal wound site of a patient, wherein the electrolytic probe includes a conductivity cell for measuring conductivity; acquire conductivity data from the bridge circuit corresponding to conductivity of a drain effluent flowing through the conductivity cell; determine fluid integrity of the intracorporeal wound site by comparing the conductivity data with previously-stored reference conductivity data; and transmit an indication of the fluid integrity of the intracorporeal wound site. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification