Smart t-shirt enables earlier discharge, safer recovery after urological cancer surgery

Editor's Note

A wearable smart t-shirt that remotely monitors vital signs helped patients go home earlier and feel safer after robot-assisted urological cancer surgery, according to a March 21 article in Medical Xpress. The article details a pilot study, presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Madrid, Spain, finding that patients using the smart t-shirt were discharged 24–36 hours earlier than usual and experienced fewer unplanned hospital visits.

Researchers from Sapienza University of Rome partnered with LET's Webearable Solutions to develop the light, sensor-equipped t-shirt. Said to be more comprehensive than consumer wearables like smartwatches, the device monitors metrics including ECG, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, blood glucose, blood pressure, and electrolyte levels. Data transmit to an app and web platform for remote patient tracking.

The pilot study involved 70 patients who had undergone robotic urological procedures, the article reports. Half were discharged following standard timelines—3 to 5 days post-surgery—while the other half were discharged up to 36 hours earlier and sent home with the monitoring t-shirt.

Patients were instructed to wear the device during three daily time blocks over a roughly 2-week period. Findings include:

• 6% of patients in the wearable group experienced hospital readmissions before scheduled follow-up vs 26% in the control group
• 90% of patients with the wearable reported feeling safe and cared for while recovering at home
• 87% found the device effective and easy to use, with only 10% struggling to understand instructions
• The t-shirt identified the onset of cardiological issues in five patients, allowing for prompt treatment.

Medical Xpress quotes professor Maarten Albersen of UZ Leuven calling the technology “promising,” especially given its real-time monitoring capabilities and strong patient acceptance. However, he noted the study’s early stage and small sample size, stressing the need for additional research on outcomes and cost-effectiveness. A follow-up study evaluating the economic impact of the technology is now underway.