Apparatus and methods for determining damaged tissue using sub-epidermal moisture measurements
Inventors
TONAR, Ya-Chen • RHODES, Shannon • CLENDENIN, Marta • Burns, Martin • JARADEH, Kindah
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11284810-B2
Publication Date
2022-03-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure provides apparatuses and computer readable media for measuring sub-epidermal moisture in patients to determine damaged tissue for clinical intervention. The present disclosure also provides methods for determining damaged tissue.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an apparatus for assessing tissue health using a plurality of coaxial electrodes embedded on a first side of a substrate. A circuit electronically coupled to the coaxial electrodes generates capacitance signals associated with the electrodes, and a processor converts the capacitance signals into sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) values associated with the plurality of coaxial electrodes.
The analysis determines a maximum SEM value and a minimum SEM value from the received plurality of SEM values, and determines a difference between the maximum SEM value and the minimum SEM value, where the difference is an indicator related to tissue health. In related processing, SEM differences are computed relative to surrounding SEM values and measurement locations around an anatomical site are flagged when the SEM differences exceed a predetermined value threshold to indicate damaged tissue.
An alternative comparative approach determines an average SEM value of at least two SEM values, and determines a difference between one of the at least two SEM values and the average SEM value, where the difference is an indicator related to tissue health. The system supports SEM mapping/image outputs and location-based indicators corresponding to erythema/damaged regions defined by SEM difference thresholds, including time-lapse sensitivity for monitoring.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims. Both claims share the core structure of multiple embedded coaxial electrodes on a substrate, a circuit generating capacitance signals, a processor converting capacitance signals into sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) values, and a computer-executed computation that yields a tissue-health indicator from relationships among SEM values.
Coaxial electrode capacitance-to-SEM conversion with tissue-health indicator from SEM range
An apparatus for assessing tissue health comprising a plurality of coaxial electrodes embedded on a first side of a substrate, a circuit electronically coupled to the plurality of coaxial electrodes configured to generate a plurality of capacitance signals associated with the plurality of coaxial electrodes, a processor configured to receive the plurality of capacitance signals and convert the plurality of capacitance signals into a plurality of sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) values associated with the plurality of coaxial electrodes, and instructions to receive the plurality of SEM values, determine a maximum SEM value and a minimum SEM value from the received plurality of SEM values, and determine a difference between the maximum SEM value and the minimum SEM value, wherein the difference is an indicator related to tissue health.
Coaxial electrode capacitance-to-SEM conversion with tissue-health indicator from SEM deviation from average
An apparatus for assessing tissue health comprising a plurality of coaxial electrodes embedded on a first side of a substrate, a circuit electronically coupled to the one or more coaxial electrodes configured to generate a plurality of capacitance signals associated with the plurality of coaxial electrodes, a processor configured to receive the plurality of capacitance signals and convert the plurality of capacitance signals into a plurality of sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) values associated with the plurality of coaxial electrodes, and instructions to receive at least two SEM values, determine an average SEM value of the at least two SEM values, and determine a difference between one of the at least two SEM values and the average SEM value, wherein the difference is an indicator related to tissue health.
Across both independent claims, the apparatus converts capacitance signals from embedded coaxial electrodes into SEM values and computes a tissue-health indicator from SEM relationships. One claim uses a max-min SEM difference as the indicator, and the other uses a SEM deviation from an average as the indicator.
Stated Advantages
Provides a difference between SEM values that is an indicator related to tissue health.
Supports SEM difference-based identification of regions associated with damaged tissue/erythema using predetermined thresholds.
Provides SEM mapping/image outputs and time-lapse sensitivity for monitoring.
Documented Applications
Assessing tissue health at an anatomical site and around it by computing SEM differences and flagging measurement locations associated with damaged tissue.
Monitoring pressure ulcers/damaged tissue with SEM maps and thresholds, including time-lapse monitoring to show changes.
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