Continuous monitoring of drain pH and electrical conductivity in patients with gastrointestinal anastomosis – A mixed feasibility study

Ref: A2003070

Anastomotic leaks are a serious complication in bowel surgery that occur when the surgical join between two ends of the bowel fails to heal properly, leading to the spillage of bowel contents into the abdomen. This condition can be life-threatening and often necessitates additional surgery. Recent studies have shown that monitoring the pH and electrical conductivity of abdominal/pelvic drain fluid can help in the early detection of these leaks by identifying changes in acidity and ion levels around the compromised bowel area. Dr. Josephine Walshaw, an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow, is leading a study to evaluate a new device called Origin™. This device continuously monitors these changes and connects to the Stream™ Platform for real-time tracking. The study aims to assess the practicality and acceptability of this device among patients, surgeons, and nurses. To achieve this, the device will be tested on a group of 20 patients, and feedback will be gathered through interviews with both patients and clinicians. 

Lead Researcher	Josephine Walshaw (EC) NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow & General Surgery ST1
Co-Researchers	Prof David Jayne Catherine Moriaty Neil Corrigan
Host Organisation	Leeds Institute of Medical Research
Grant Amount	£9,800
Start Date	01/01/2025
Estimated Duration	12 months
Impact Areas	Innovation & Health Technologies
Tags/key notes	Early Career Researcher Oral and Gastrointestinal