A Wireless Vital Signs System for Combat Casualties

Abstract : Combat casualty care can be improved if vital signs can be obtained easily. The work presented in this report describes the status of a compact and portable wireless vital signs (WVS) system that provides vital signs obtained in a traditional manner and is seamless from the field to definitive care. This system uses off-the-shelf, FDA-approved technology in a package that is lightweight, portable, and easy to use. WVS equipment is battery-powered and is comprised of a standard inflatable blood pressure cuff, a pulse oximeter, and a two-lead ECG. The information obtained from this unit is transmitted via Bluetooth technology to a standard off-the-shelf PDA, which can track multiple patients simultaneously. Patient vital signs can be displayed on the PDA or on other devices such as a wearable head-up monitor or a pre-positioned stand alone displayer. From the PDA, the information can also be transmitted via Wi-Fi to a laptop server, which then allows the information to be used in a variety of ways. This new WVS system can be deployed in the field at the point of wounding and remain on the patient through various stages of transport and through all echelons of care (e.g., helicopter, ambulance, gurney, trauma bay, surgical suite, ICU). Thus, the currently used monitoring devices will no longer have to be disconnected and reconnected through successive patient encounters and various means of transport. This capability would obviously make the handling of the patient easier and faster. Because the vital signs are obtained using standard FDA-approved devices rather than futuristic promising technology, this new WVS will soon become a reality. Support from the Office of Naval Research has allowed the Navy Trauma Training Center and the Naval Health Research Center to collaborate with NASA Ames Astrobionics and others to develop the WVS device. First-generation prototypes were delivered in 2003 and the WVS system is currently being evaluated on civilian trauma patients.