Electrolytic biosensor

A method of detecting wound integrity using an electrolytic biosensor, comprising:

• determining an expected ingestion profile for a patient ingesting a trace fluid, including estimating a conductivity change over time at a gastrointestinal wound site of the patient;
• responsive to receiving an indication of the ingesting of the trace fluid, collecting ingestion profile conductivity data using an electrolytic probe at the gastrointestinal wound site of the patient, wherein the electrolytic probe is installed in a surgical drain and is configured to measure conductivity of an effluent fluid flowing from the gastrointestinal wound site through the surgical drain;
• and
• analyzing the ingestion profile conductivity data to determine fluid integrity of the gastrointestinal wound site, including comparing the ingestion profile conductivity data with the expected ingestion profile.

A non-transitory computer readable memory media storing processor instructions executable by a processor to operate an electrolytic biosensor device, the processor instructions including instructions executable to:

• balance a bridge circuit that includes an electrolytic probe installed in a surgical drain at an intracorporeal wound site of a patient, wherein the electrolytic probe includes a conductivity cell for measuring conductivity;
• acquire conductivity data from the bridge circuit corresponding to conductivity of a drain effluent flowing through the conductivity cell;
• determine fluid integrity of the intracorporeal wound site by comparing the conductivity data with previously-stored reference conductivity data;
• and
• transmit an indication of the fluid integrity of the intracorporeal wound site.