Waste Fill Sensor Monitors Ostomy Bags

A novel sensor and app for remote monitoring of ostomy pouches helps patients and caregivers remain aware when the external pouch is filling up with bodily waste.

The Ostom-i Alert monitors clips to the outside of most ostomy pouches, measuring fullness by sensing the arc of the bag’s external curvature. Data is communicated to both Apple and Android smartphones via Bluetooth connectivity to a mobile app, which warns the patient when the bag is close to being full. There is also a tablet app designed for hospital use to manage multiple ostomy patients at one time. The device can also be programmed by the user to set multiple alarms, and alert them to when their pouch is filling for up to three months.

For example, fill levels change depending on the users’ body position over extended periods of time. Thus, when the patient is lying down, the ostomy bag may appear to be less full than it is when the patient is standing up. By setting alarm limits to a lower level, unwanted overflows and leaks causing embarrassment to the patient and caregivers can be avoided. Data streaming is continuous, so that healthcare professionals and caregivers can follow real-time trends. Ostomy volume output data is also available on the company’s website. The Ostom-i Alert is a product of 11 Health (London, United Kingdom), and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“The aim is to enable patients to better self-manage and healthcare professionals can, for the first time, remote monitor them,” said Michael Seres, president of 11 Health, who developed the sensor after undergoing a small bowel transplant. “This can lead to early intervention to prevent issues like dehydration and electrolyte loss that often results in readmissions.”

An ostomy bag provides a means for the collection of waste output from a stoma created during colostomies, ileostomies, and urostomies. The bags allow the stoma to drain into a sealed collection pouch via a baseplate, while protecting the surrounding skin. For maximum hygiene and to reduce risk of infection via contamination, the bag should be changed every 24 hours, unless the bags are re-sealable. Ostomy bags are air- and water-tight, allowing the wearer to lead an active lifestyle.

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