Flexible reduced pressure treatment appliance

• US 10,207,035 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Weston, Richard Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva, Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Townsend, Guy K
• Application Number:
  US15/607,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20170258973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• 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: A61M 1/60 Containers for suction drainage, adapted to be used with an external suction source containers not adapted for subjection to vacuum A61M1/69
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/682 bulb-type, e.g. nasal mucus aspirators
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/80 Suction pumps A61M1/64, A61M1/71, A61M60/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/98 Containers specifically adapted for negative pressure wound therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/075 Bulb type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/75 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/00 Tubes, tube connectors, tube couplings, valves, access sites or the like, specially adapted for medical use for respiratory devices, e.g. tracheal tubes A61M16/00; artificial heart valves A61F2/24

Abstract

A wound treatment appliance is provided for treating all or a portion of a wound. In some embodiments, the appliance includes an impermeable flexible overlay for applying a reduced pressure to the covered portion of the wound. The wound treatment appliance may also include a vacuum system to supply reduced pressure to the wound in the area under the flexible overlay, a wound packing means to prevent overgrowth of the wound or to encourage growth of the wound tissue into an absorbable matrix including the wound packing means, a suction drain, a collection chamber to collect and store exudate from the wound, and/or a suction bulb which may be used to provide a source of reduced pressure to an impermeable overlay that covers all or a portion of the wound. Finally, methods are provided for using various embodiments of the wound treatment appliance.

Claims

1. An apparatus for administering reduced pressure treatment to a wound on a body, comprising:

a flexible overlay configured to be placed over and enclose all or a portion of the wound and configured to form a seal surrounding the wound;

a fluid collector attached immediately above the flexible overlay, the fluid collector configured to receive and hold wound exudate aspirated from the wound;

a membrane that acts as a barrier separating the flexible overlay and the fluid collector, wherein the membrane acts as at least a portion of a lower surface of the fluid collector and at least a portion of an upper surface of the flexible overlay;

a filter configured to prevent wound exudate from flowing past the filter and retain wound exudate in the fluid collector; and

a conduit configured to operably connect the fluid collector to a vacuum source through an opening in the fluid collector;

wherein the apparatus is configured to provide a supply of reduced pressure from the conduit to the fluid collector so that a volume within the fluid collector and a volume under the flexible overlay in the area of the wound are supplied with reduced pressure by the vacuum source and so that wound exudate from the wound can flow through the membrane into the fluid collector and is retained therein, but wound exudate within the fluid collector is prevented from flowing past the filter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible overlay and the membrane are fabricated and provided as a single piece.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible overlay and the membrane are fabricated and provided as a single piece with the fluid collector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises at least one port therein.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises a plurality of openings to allow the wound exudate to pass through the membrane into the fluid collector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reduced pressure supply port, wherein the conduit is connected to the fluid collector by way of the reduced pressure supply port.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the filter is positioned within the reduced pressure supply port.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the volume within the fluid collector is airtight except for the opening in the fluid collector and one or more openings in the membrane.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid collector is positioned approximately adjacent to the flexible overlay on the side of the flexible overlay opposite the wound.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive configured to seal a portion of the flexible overlay to a surface surrounding the wound.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wound packing member configured to be placed beneath the flexible overlay.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a portable vacuum pump powered by a battery, the portable vacuum pump configured to supply reduced pressure to the conduit.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the membrane is attached to a perimeter of a bottom end opening of the fluid collector.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter is positioned above the opening in the fluid collector.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tissue protection material applied to a surface of the flexible overlay, the tissue protection material configured to be in contact with body tissue.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein adhesive is applied to the tissue protection material.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises at least one one-way valve.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid collector is integrally formed with the flexible overlay and provided as a single piece.