The use of multi-frequency impedimetry for the monitoring of chronic wounds: the BIPPED clinical study

Abstract

The number of people developing type II diabetes is verging on epidemic proportions in some countries. Along with an aging population, the incidence of chronic diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers is increasing and threatens to pose a problem for healthcare systems. A smart, wearable autonomous wound therapy and monitoring device is the goal of the Swan-iCare project, which involves 9 consortium members and is funded by the European commission under the FP7 program. The device is intended to shorten hospital stays by enabling patients to return home and have their wounds remotely monitored by the clinician. A miniaturized, bio impedance sensor system is among the sensors under development. In this paper we describe the promising preliminary results of a clinical study on the use of bio-impedance measurements to monitor the healing processes of diabetic foot ulcers.