Innovative Shirt Speeds Up Recovery and Hospital Stays

Quick Smiles:

• Innovative t-shirt lets patients recover at home sooner.
• 90% of users felt safe and reassured with the wearable tech.
• Early detection of complications reduces hospital readmissions.

Imagine a world where recovering from surgery doesn’t mean prolonged hospital stays. Thanks to a pioneering t-shirt designed by a team from Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, this dream is becoming a reality.

This sensory garment, worn discreetly under clothing, monitors vital signs and allows patients to recover comfortably at home after cancer surgery. In a pilot study involving 70 participants, the group using the t-shirt was able to leave the hospital 24 to 36 hours earlier than usual.

Professor Antonio Pastore and his team collaborated with LET Webearable Solutions to create this lightweight t-shirt. It tracks vital data such as ECG, heart rate, and body temperature, sending the information to an app and web-based software for continuous monitoring.

Professor Pastore explained, “The t-shirt we gave to patients differs from smartwatches and other wearables. It can reveal more data, including electrolytes, which we need to continue to monitor after bladder surgery as they can reveal mineral imbalances that lead to serious complications.”

While the control group followed the standard discharge timeline of three to five days, the wearable group’s earlier discharge was paired with a significant reduction in unscheduled hospital visits. Only two patients (6%) from the wearable group returned early, compared to eight patients (26%) in the control group.

Moreover, the t-shirt’s technology detected early signs of cardiological conditions in five patients, facilitating prompt intervention.

“Our patients found the t-shirt easy to use and over 90% reported it allowed them to feel safe and cared for while recuperating at home,” said Prof. Pastore. This technology not only enhances patient comfort but also helps free up hospital resources.

The findings, which will be presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Madrid, have been met with enthusiasm. Professor Maarten Albersen, Scientific Chair of the Association, remarked, “The trial is early stage, but the insights are very interesting. Particularly since patients strongly accepted the wearable and it was able to detect complications in real-time and reduce unnecessary re-hospitalizations.”

As researchers continue to explore the cost-effectiveness of this innovative technology, the future of post-surgical care looks brighter and more efficient than ever.

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