A wireless body sensor network was developed and piloted for continuous, unobtrusive monitoring of vital signs and motion in patients recovering from abdominal surgery at home.
Case Report
Does a wireless body sensor network enable continuous monitoring of postoperative recovery at home in patients undergoing abdominal surgery?
A wireless body sensor network provides a feasible method for continuous, unobtrusive monitoring of postoperative recovery at home.
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.
Aziz et al. (Fri,) conducted a case report in Postoperative recovery following abdominal surgery. Wireless body sensor network was evaluated. A wireless body sensor network was developed and piloted for continuous, unobtrusive monitoring of vital signs and motion in patients recovering from abdominal surgery at home.