The imaging device, called MIMOSA Pro, is being studied at Hamilton Health Sciences to see if it can better identify early signs of pressure ulcers, including in people with darker skin pigmentation.
An imaging device developed by an Ontario startup is being studied at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) to see if it can better identify early signs of pressure ulcers, including in people with darker skin pigmentation. This patient population is more difficult to assess with current standard tools, which include visual inspection. As a result, pressure ulcers may not be detected early.
“We welcome the opportunity to test new technologies for Canada that will help improve health equity for patients.” — Dr. Ted Scott, HHS Vice President, Innovation and Partnerships
The pocket-sized handheld device, called MIMOSA Pro, was developed by MIMOSA Diagnostics Inc., a Toronto company specializing in medical devices that promote inclusive and equitable health care.
From left to right: Dr. Ted Scott, Vice President of Innovation and Partnerships; Ari Kollerman, director of multidisciplinary clinical practice, and Stephanie Rintoul, clinical innovation coordinator. Kwadjo Ntow, Research Assistant on the Clinical Innovation Team. and Simran Lakra, clinical innovation intern.
The need for such technology was highlighted by a review of pressure ulcer incidents at HHS McMaster Children's Hospital, which found that pressure ulcers were significantly more common in patients with dark skin pigmentation. , said Ari Kollerman, director of interprofessional practice at HHS and principal investigator of the study.
Early intervention saves lives
Bedsores, also known as bedsores or bedsores, are damage to the skin and tissue beneath bony parts of the body that are pressed against surfaces such as mattresses or wheelchairs. These occur when the patient is unable to shift weight and the skin begins to break down.
The pressure reduces blood flowing into these areas, which can lead to scarring over time. It starts as a red area and can progress to a very serious wound that exposes cartilage and bone. If pressure ulcers are left untreated, they can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by an uncontrolled response to infection.
“Preventing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and sepsis is a strategic priority for HHS, along with equity, diversity, and inclusion,” said Dr. Ted Scott, HHS vice president for innovation and partnerships. “We welcome the opportunity to test new technologies for Canada that will help improve health equity for patients.”
Identifying the symptoms
The current practice in hospitals across North America is for health care workers to visually check for bedsore risk using something called the Braden Scale. The Braden Scale assesses a patient's risk of skin damage based not only on appearance, but also on factors such as discomfort, pain, and exposure to moisture. , the ability to change the position of the patient's body, friction against the skin, nutrition.
MIMOSA Pro identifies signs beneath the skin's surface that are not yet visible to the naked eye, capturing images that can be uploaded to the hospital's secure health records system for tracking over time.
Start of research
McMaster Children's Hospital connected with MIMOSA through a partnership with the National Coordinated Accessible (CAN) Health Network, a national organization that works to scale Canadian innovation across Canada.
Kwadjo Ntow, research assistant on the HHS clinical innovation team, demonstrates MIMOSA Pro with clinical innovation intern Simran Rakhra.
CAN Health Network supports the project between MCH and MIMOSA. This project investigates whether MIMOSA Pro is more effective than the Braden Scale in detecting early signs of pressure ulcers, such as dark skin pigmentation. The project is scheduled to begin in June.
Stephanie Rintoul, HHS Clinical Innovation Coordinator for MIMOSA Pro;
In early discussions with MIMOSA leadership, this technology was not yet available in Canada.
“Despite being a Canadian innovation, this was not approved by Health Canada,” Collerman said, adding that HHS worked with the vendor to support the application and approval with Health Canada.
“To make this type of research possible, large teams from different areas of the hospital need to work together.”
The HHS team supporting this research includes MCH. quality and performance. Skin, wounds, colostomy. Interprofessional practice. And innovation.
Verifying the effectiveness of MIMOSA Pro
“If the results are positive, we plan to purchase additional equipment and make it part of the routine care of patients who may be at risk,” Collerman said.
“Although all patient populations will be included in the study, we are particularly interested in patients with dark skin pigmentation.” — Ari Kollerman, HHS Multidisciplinary Practice Director
The research team is finalizing which hospitals across HHS facilities will participate in the study. Kollerman said he has 10 units volunteering from several locations, so there is strong interest in testing the technology.
Patients will be tested with both the Braden Scale and MIMOSA Pro to see if there is a difference in early detection. The research team plans to use the hospital's state-of-the-art hospital information system, Epic, to store and track data and compare the two tools.
“Although all patient populations are included in this study, we are particularly interested in patients with dark skin,” says Kollerman.
