AbStats is a plastic, disposable, non-invasive acoustic gastrointestinal surveillance biosensor that attaches to the abdomen after surgery. It was developed by UCLA professor Brennan Spiegel and described in a paper published in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery this week.
The device can help doctors determine which post-operative patients should be fed, and which should not, by monitoring for post-operative ileus, a malfunction of the intestines. The condition causes patients to become ill if they eat too soon.
AbStats is also being tested for use in the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.