Apparatuses and methods for wound therapy

• US 10,070,994 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2013
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Inventors: Dodd, James Roderick, Hammond, Victoria Jody, Hartwell, Edward Yerbury, Hicks, John Kenneth, Huddleston, Elizabeth Mary, Saxby, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva, Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Treyger, Ilya
• Application Number:
  US14/402,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20150148760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00051 Accessories for dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00055 Saturation indicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01029 made of multiple layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01034 characterised by a property
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/05 specially adapted for use with sub-pressure or over-pressure therapy, wound drainage or wound irrigation, e.g. for use with negative-pressure wound therapy [NPWT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/148 Abdomen bandages or bandaging garments
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/44 with radio-opaque material or signalling means for residual material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00174 possibility of applying pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00357 implanted wound fillings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00412 for use with needles, tubes or catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00536 for draining or irrigating wounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0054 for deep wounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/73 comprising sensors or indicators for physical values
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/732 Visual indicating means for vacuum pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/915 Constructional details of the pressure distribution manifold
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/916 specially adapted for deep wounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/966 having a pressure sensor on or near the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3344 : Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1021 : Abdominal cavity

Abstract

Some arrangements disclosed herein relate to devices and methods for treating a wound, comprising applying negative pressure to the wound through a cover applied over a wound, monitoring the internal pressure in the wound, and controlling the closure of the wound by controlling the amount that a wound packing material positioned under the cover collapses within the wound based on the monitored internal pressure. The wound packing material collapse can be controlled to ensure that the monitored internal pressure does not exceed a threshold value. Additionally, some embodiments or arrangements disclosed herein relate to a visualization element to visualize a location of a wound surface. The visualization element can comprise a radiopaque member that is configured to be positioned on or adjacent to a surface of an open wound.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing negative pressure wound therapy to a wound, comprising:

a wound packing member or wound filler that has an adjustable volume;

a backing layer for providing a substantially air and liquid-tight seal over a wound when the wound packing member or wound filler is positioned in the wound;

a source of negative pressure for providing negative pressure to a space beneath the backing layer; and

a pressure sensor for measuring internal abdominal pressure,

wherein collapse of the wound packing member or wound filler is controlled by applying a volume increasing force or stiffness increasing force to the wound packing member or wound filler while negative pressure is provided to the space beneath the backing layer to control the rate of wound closure, the amount of the volume increasing force or stiffness increasing force being based on the measured internal abdominal pressure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wound packing member or wound filler comprises a sealed member that can be controllably inflatable and deflatable from a pressure source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an organ protection layer configured to be positioned between the wound packing member or wound filler and the viscera or other organs.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure level within the sealed member.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a pump configured to control a level of pressure within the sealed member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor for detecting pressure beneath the backing layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to adjust negative pressure based on one or more pressure sensors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor for measuring internal abdominal pressure is configured to be placed in communication with a human organ.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, comprising:

at least three pressure sensors, the first pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure level within the sealed member, the second pressure sensor being for detecting pressure beneath the backing layer, and the third pressure sensor comprising a pressure sensor for measuring internal abdominal pressure within or on an organ; and

a controller configured to adjust one or more pressure levels under the backing layer and/or within the sealed member to reduced pressure exerted on the organ.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is coupled to a catheter or needle configured for insertion into the viscera.

10. A method of treating a wound, comprising:

placing a wound packing member into the wound;

applying a cover over the wound packing member and sealing the cover to skin surrounding the wound;

applying negative pressure to the wound through the cover;

applying a volume increasing force or stiffness increasing force to the wound packing member while negative pressure is applied to the wound;

monitoring internal pressure in the wound; and

controlling closure of the wound by controlling the amount that the wound packing material collapses within the wound based on the monitored internal pressure, wherein the wound packing material collapse is controlled to ensure that the monitored internal pressure does not exceed a threshold value.

11. The method of treating a wound of claim 10, wherein the internal pressure is measured by monitoring at least one of a bladder pressure, an aortic pressure, a pressure within the colon, a pressure within the uterus, a limb pressure, and a blood flow rate.

12. The method of treating a wound of claim 10, wherein the wound is an abdominal wound.

13. The method of treating a wound of claim 10, wherein the wound is a wound on a limb.

14. The method of treating a wound of claim 10, wherein the wound packing member comprises an adjustable volume wound filler.

15. The method of treating a wound of claim 10, wherein the wound packing member comprises an inflatable sealed member and controlling the closure of the wound comprises controllably removing fluid or air from the inflatable member.

16. The method of treating a wound of claim 10, comprising detecting blood flow rate adjacent to the treated region using Laser Doppler velocimetry.

17. The method of treating a wound of claim 10, further comprising positioning one or more wound visualization elements in a wound interface.

18. A method of treating a wound of a patient, comprising:

placing a wound packing member into the wound;

applying a cover over the wound packing member and sealing the cover to skin surrounding the wound;

applying negative pressure to the wound through the cover while applying a volume increasing force or stiffness increasing force to the wound packing member to control collapse of the wound packing member as the wound closes under negative pressure.

19. The method of treating a wound of claim 18, wherein the wound packing member is an inflatable bladder, and controlling collapse of the wound packing member comprises controlling the pressure within the bladder.

20. The method of treating a wound of claim 18, comprising dynamically adjusting at least one of the volume, stiffness, pressure and collapse the wound packing member as the wound closes.

21. The method of treating a wound of claim 20, wherein the at least one of the volume, stiffness pressure and collapse of the wound packing member is dynamically adjusted based on internal pressure readings of the patient.

23. The method of treating a wound of claim 18, further comprising inserting a pressure sensor into an organ or blood vessel of the patient.

24. The method of treating a wound of claim 23, further comprising adjusting the amount of volume increasing force or stiffness increasing force based on a measurement of the pressure sensor.

25. The method of treating a wound of claim 18, further comprising inserting a pressure sensor into the viscera.

26. The method of treating a wound of claim 18, wherein negative pressure is applied from a negative pressure source and applying a volume increasing force or stiffness increasing force to the wound packing member comprises applying a positive pressure to the wound packing member from a positive pressure source, the positive pressure source being distinct from the negative pressure source.