Correlation of bioimpedance changes after compressive loading of murine tissues in vivo

Objective : Rises in the incidence of pressure ulcers are increasingly prevalent in an aging population. Pressure ulcers are painful, are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, increase the risk for secondary infections and inpatient stay, and adds $26.8 billion annually to the healthcare costs of the USA. Evidence suggests that a change in the bioimpedance of living tissue in response to continuous local contact pressure can be a useful indicator for the onset of pressure injuries. Approach : Thirty-five Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to various skin pressures for differing periods of time via a surgically inserted steel disk and an externally applied magnet. Contact pressure and bioimpedance were measured and correlated with tissue loading intensity and compared to clinical ulcer grading. Main results : Moderate relationships between bioimpedance changes and tissue loading intensity were found. Stronger correlations were found by utilizing a ...
Source: Physiological Measurement - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research