Bioimpedance method for monitoring venous ulcers: Clinical proof-of-concept study

Abstract

Evaluation of wound status is typically based on means which require the removal of dressings. These procedures are often also subjective and prone to inter-observer bias. To overcome aforementioned issues a bioimpedance measurement-based method and measurement system has been developed to evaluate the state of wound healing. The measurement system incorporated a purpose-built bioimpedance device, a measurement software and a screen-printed electrode array. The feasibility and the performance of the system and method were assessed in an open non-randomized follow-up study of seven venous ulcers. Healing of ulcers was monitored until the complete re-epithelialization was achieved. The duration of follow-up was from 19 to 106 days (mean 55.8 +/- 25.2 days). A variable designated as the Wound Status Index (WSI), derived from the bioimpedance data, was used for describing the state of wound healing. The wound surface area was measured using acetate tracing for the reference. A strong correlation was found between the WSI and the acetate tracing data, r(93) = 0.84, p < 0.001. The results indicate that the bioimpedance measurement-based method is a promising quantitative tool for the evaluation of the status of venous ulcers.