Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0002—Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0059—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0059—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence
  • A61B5/0075—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/145—Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissue
  • A61B5/1455—Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissue using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/44—Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the integumentary system, e.g. skin, hair or nails
  • A61B5/441—Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
  • A61B5/442—Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/48—Other medical applications
  • A61B5/4869—Determining body composition
  • A61B5/4875—Hydration status, fluid retention of the body

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for the determination and / or monitoring of the fluid content of the skin of a human or animal, in particular for the detection of dehydration in a dependent and / or elderly person and a corresponding method and the use of such a device.
• Liquid deficiency also called dehydration or dehydration, is understood to mean an increased loss of body fluid without absorbing fluid. Fluid loss can occur through the gastrointestinal tract, breathing air, urine, or through the skin, such as from sweating, as well as from a large loss of blood. In case of feverish illnesses or heavy physical exertion, a lot of body fluid is lost. But also a number of diseases, such as
• the hydration state of the patient is assessed by inspection of the mucous membranes, by a skin-fold test in which a skin fold is formed and the time to recovery of the crease is taken as a measure of the state of dehydration, or by taking a drinking protocol.
• DE 10 2004 027 909 A1 describes a device for determining the formation of perspiration via a plaster, an adhesive strip or a piece of fabric for testing
• the device has a humidity sensor, which is arranged at a distance above the skin in order to avoid falsification of the moisture measurement by contact of moisture and salts with the moisture sensor.
• a humidity sensor which is arranged at a distance above the skin in order to avoid falsification of the moisture measurement by contact of moisture and salts with the moisture sensor.
• such a device does not make it possible to measure the fluid content in the skin. Since dehydration, as already explained, occurs in the simultaneous presence of the factors fluid loss and lack of fluid absorption, no conclusions about the presence and the degree of dehydration can be concluded from a sole measurement of the fluid loss.
• the device according to the invention as claimed in claim 1 and the method according to claim 10, have the advantage that a qualitative as well as quantitative determination of the liquid content in the skin is made possible in order to provide the patient and nursing staff with objective data on the dehydration of persons in need of care Geriatrics is recognized reliably and early on dehydration or the risk of
• Dehydration is made aware and thereby the nursing staff is significantly relieved.
• the production costs for a device according to the invention can be extremely low, so that the device according to the invention can be used as a disposable or disposable article.
• the device according to the invention has a high wearing comfort and can remain attached to the skin for up to several days.
• the subject matter of the present invention is a device (1) for determining and / or monitoring the liquid content, in particular the water content, of the skin of a human or animal.
• the device according to the invention as well as the later explained method of the invention, the detection of dehydration of a human or animal.
• the device according to the invention and also the method explained later is suitable for ensuring a qualitative and quantitative determination of the liquid content in the skin.
• the device comprises a sensor for measuring the liquid content of the skin, and a fixing means for releasably securing the device to the body of the human or animal, and a signal generator for outputting one or more, in particular evaluated, measurement results and / or one or more warning signals, and / or a storage means for storing one or more, in particular evaluated, measurement results.
• the sensor is arranged according to the invention such that it contacts the skin in the attached state of the device.
• the sensor can detect the liquid content of the skin electrically, in particular by a resistance measurement, optically, in particular spectroscopically, and / or chemically, in particular by a pH measurement.
• the signal transmitter For voltage and / or power supply of the sensor, the signal transmitter, the
• the device according to the invention may comprise a device for voltage and / or power supply.
• the senor has two electrodes, which contact the skin in the attached state of the device.
• the electrodes are either connected to a device for voltage and / or power supply (5) and to a device for voltage, current and / or resistance measurement or to a combined device for voltage and / or power supply and voltage, current and / or resistance measurement connected.
• the senor can be operated with both direct current and alternating current.
• the voltage and / or power supply device and / or the combined voltage and / or power supply and voltage, current, and / or resistance measurement devices supply the electrodes with an alternating current.
• the senor has a radiation source and a radiation sensor.
• the radiation source and the radiation sensor are designed and arranged such that the radiation emanating from the radiation source transilluminates the skin and the radiation remaining after transilluminating the skin is measured by the radiation sensor.
• radiation is understood to mean electromagnetic radiation.
• the radiation source and the radiation sensor are designed and arranged such that the radiation emanating from the radiation source is reflected on a, in particular inner, skin layer and the reflected radiation is measured by the radiation sensor.
• liquids in particular water
• the wavelength or dominant wavelength of the radiation source corresponds to a wavelength at which the absorption by water is high.
• water inter alia, has a high absorption in a wavelength range of> 2700 to ⁇ 3700 nm.
• the wavelength or dominant wavelength of the radiation source it is preferably taken into account that other body constituents, in particular skin constituents, have the lowest possible absorption as water at this wavelength or in this wavelength range.
• the wavelength or dominant wavelength of the radiation source in the context of an embodiment of the present invention > 950 nm, in particular> 1000 nm.
• the fixing agent may comprise a piece of fabric, in particular a textile, and / or an adhesive strip, in particular a plaster.
• the fixing agent is a plaster, in particular adhesive plaster.
• the signal generator can be a discolourable material, for example a discolored by a change in pH, voltage and / or temperature
• Material in particular an indicator paper, and / or a lighting means, and / or a display display, in particular an LCD display, and / or a transmitter, for example a Infrared transmitter, Bluetooth transmitter or radio frequency transmitter, in particular a radio frequency transmitter include or be.
• the storage means may be readable by an external reader.
• the storage means may be an RFID (Radio Frequncy Identification) chip.
• the measured and stored data can be read by a corresponding reader.
• the device according to the invention also has a logic means, for example a microprocessor, for evaluating the measurement results acquired by the liquid content sensor and / or other sensors, for example a temperature sensor.
• the logic means preferably transmits the evaluated measurement results to the signal generator and / or the storage means and / or activates the signal generator.
• the device according to the invention is designed monolithic.
• monolithic means that the elements of the device according to the invention form a, in particular coherent, unit A monolithic design of the device advantageously reduces the risk of destruction of the device and injury to the patient or nursing staff.
• the electronics, in particular the electronic components, of the device according to the invention are embodied in the context of a preferred embodiment of the present invention as, in particular flexible, foil electronics.
• Voltage and / or power supply and / or the combined device for voltage and / or power and voltage, current and / or resistance measurement and / or the radiation source and / or the radiation sensor and / or the logic means on and / or in one Film of the fixing agent, in particular a plaster film may be arranged.
• the design of the electronics as foil electronics has the advantage that on the one hand this reduces the production costs and thus makes possible a use as a disposable item. On the other hand, the wearing comfort can be significantly increased by a flexible foil electronics.
• the device according to the invention also has a temperature sensor.
• a temperature sensor advantageously offers the possibility of making the measured moisture values plausible and / or of correcting temperature-related factors.
• Another object of the present invention is a method for determining and / or monitoring the liquid content, in particular the water content, the skin of a human or animal with a device according to the invention measured in the liquid content of the skin by the liquid content sensor and output by the signal generator and / or in the storage means, in particular between, is stored.
• the liquid content sensor measures the liquid content of the skin in, in particular, regular, time intervals, for example of more than one hour.
• the measurement results of the liquid content sensor can be evaluated by the logic means and then stored in the storage medium, in particular between.
• the signal generator issues a warning signal in the event of a critical change, in particular reduction, of the moisture content and / or when a critical threshold value is exceeded. This can be done, for example, by the logic means connecting a specific voltage and / or current output in the event of a critical change, in particular reduction, of the moisture content and / or exceeding a critical threshold, which signal generator and / or the memory means, in particular the signal generator, activated. For example, through
• Another object of the present invention is the use of a device according to the invention in medicine, in particular in geriatrics, for the detection of dehydration of a, in particular care-dependent and / or old people.
• Fig. 1 shows a highly schematic representation of a device according to the invention.
• the fixing means 3 is designed as a plaster.
• the patch has for releasably securing the device 1 on the body one or more, not shown, the body facing adhesive areas.
• Moisture content sensor 2 is signal-connected via a signal line 7 to the logic means 6, which comprises a microprocessor.
• the logic means 6 is supplied by the device for voltage and / or power supply 5 via a supply line 8 with electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy from the logic means 6 via the line 7 and a further line 9 for supplying the liquid content sensor 2 and the signal generator. 4 is forwarded.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Dermatology (AREA)
• Measuring And Recording Apparatus For Diagnosis (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Cited By (1)

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Citations (5)

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• 2008
  • 2008-06-19 DE DE102008002520A patent/DE102008002520A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2009
  • 2009-04-27 WO PCT/EP2009/055067 patent/WO2009153093A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2009-04-27 US US12/993,031 patent/US20110184257A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-04-27 CN CN2009801228760A patent/CN102065750A/zh active Pending
  • 2009-04-27 EP EP09765673A patent/EP2291113A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (5)

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