Wound treatment apparatus

• US 20020198504A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Risk, James R. Jr., Petrosenko, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,764,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/318
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/73 comprising sensors or indicators for physical values
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/784 by filtering, sterilising or disinfecting the exhaust air, e.g. swellable filter valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/912 Connectors between dressing and drainage tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/918 for multiple suction locations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/92 with liquid supply means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/96 Suction control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/98 Containers specifically adapted for negative pressure wound therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/84 for treating several patients simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0202 with electronic control means or interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0208 before use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0212 after use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0216 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/022 Volume; Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/902 Suction wands

Abstract

A wound treatment apparatus is disclosed to provide vacuum therapy to a wound associated with a patient. The wound treatment apparatus comprises a control unit comprising an alarm and a display displaying an alarm log providing information associated with each activation of the alarm. The display also displays information to instruct a user how to operate the wound treatment apparatus. A method of calibrating the control unit is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a control unit adapted to provide a negative pressure through a vacuum wound bandage associated with a wound of a patient, the method comprising

positioning a first pressure sensor in communication with the control unit,

correlating a first output of a second pressure sensor of the control unit to a first calibration pressure when the first pressure sensor senses the first calibration pressure, and

correlating a second output of the second pressure sensor to a second calibration pressure when the second pressure sensor senses the second calibration pressure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning a first pressure sensor in communication with the control unit includes positioning the first pressure sensor in communication with a waste collection canister that is configured to collect waste material from the vacuum wound bandage and communicates with the second pressure sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein positioning the first pressure sensor in communication with a waste collection canister that is configured to collect waste material from the vacuum wound bandage and communicates with the second pressure sensor includes positioning the first pressure sensor in communication with a port configured to receive waste material from the vacuum wound bandage.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein correlating a first output of a second pressure sensor of the control unit to a first calibration pressure when the first pressure sensor senses the first calibration pressure includes establishing atmospheric pressure, which is the first calibration pressure, in the waste collection canister to cause the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to communicate with atmospheric pressure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein establishing atmospheric pressure in the waste collection canister to cause the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to communicate with atmospheric pressure includes blocking communication between the waste collection canister and a vacuum source.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein blocking communication between the waste collection canister and a vacuum source includes closing a valve between the waste collection canister and the vacuum source.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein correlating a first output of a second pressure sensor of the control unit to a first calibration pressure when the first pressure sensor senses the first calibration pressure includes observing that the first pressure sensor indicates that atmospheric pressure has been established in the waste collection canister.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein correlating a first output of a second pressure sensor of the control unit to a first calibration pressure when the first pressure sensor senses the first calibration pressure includes storing the first output when the first pressure sensor indicates that atmospheric pressure has been established in the waste collection canister.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein storing the first output when the first pressure sensor indicates that atmospheric pressure has been established in the waste collection canister includes operating a user control.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein correlating a second output of the second pressure sensor to a second calibration pressure when the second pressure sensor senses the second calibration pressure includes establishing the second calibration pressure, which is less than atmospheric pressure, in the waste collection canister to cause the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to communicate with the second calibration pressure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein establishing the second calibration pressure, which is less than atmospheric pressure, in the waste collection canister to cause the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to communicate with the second calibration pressure includes moving a valve to permit communication between the waste collection canister and a vacuum source.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein establishing the second calibration pressure in the waste collection canister to cause the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to communicate with the second calibration pressure includes operating a user control.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein correlating a second output of the second pressure sensor to a second calibration pressure when the second pressure sensor senses the second calibration pressure includes operating a vacuum source of the control unit to provide the second calibration pressure.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein correlating a first output of a second pressure sensor of the control unit to a first calibration pressure when the first pressure sensor senses the first calibration pressure includes storing the first output when the first pressure sensor senses the first calibration pressure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein correlating a second output of the second pressure sensor to a second calibration pressure when the second pressure sensor senses the second calibration pressure includes storing the second output when the first pressure sensor senses the second calibration pressure.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying calibration information on a display of the control unit.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning a first pressure sensor in communication with the control unit includes positioning a manometer in communication with the control unit.

19. The control unit of claim 18, further comprising a controller coupled to the alarm and the display to store the alarm log.

20. The control unit of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to cause the display to display the alarm log.

21. The control unit of claim 21, further comprising a user control coupled to the controller to cause the display to display the alarm log when the user control is operated.

22. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the alarm log provides a description of a condition responsible for each activation of the alarm.

23. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the alarm log provides a code associated with a condition responsible for each activation of the alarm.

24. The control unit of claim 18, wherein the alarm log provides a time associated with when each activation of the alarm occurred.

26. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 25, further comprising an irrigation mechanism to irrigate the wound, wherein the user input control comprises an irrigation control to operate the irrigation mechanism, and the information comprises a graphical representation of the irrigation control and text associated with the graphical representation to instruct the user when to operate the irrigation control.

27. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 25, wherein the graphical representation and the text associated therewith cooperate to instruct the user to enter a negative pressure setting for operation of the wound treatment apparatus.

28. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 25, wherein the graphical representation and the text associated therewith cooperate to instruct the user to enter a calibration setting for calibration of the wound treatment apparatus.

29. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 25, wherein the graphical representation and the text associated therewith cooperate to instruct the user to confirm a user selection for operation of the wound treatment apparatus.

18. A control unit adapted for use with a vacuum wound bandage associated with a wound of a patient to provide negative pressure through the vacuum wound bandage to the wound, the control unit comprising

an alarm, and

a display displaying an alarm log providing information associated with each activation of the alarm.

25. A wound treatment apparatus adapted for use with a vacuum wound bandage associated with a wound of a patient to provide negative pressure through the vacuum wound bandage to the wound, the wound treatment apparatus comprising

a user input control, and

an electronic display displaying information comprising a graphical representation of the user input control and text associated with the graphical representation to instruct a user when to operate the user input control.

30. A wound treatment apparatus adapted for use with a vacuum wound bandage associated with a wound of a patient to provide negative pressure through the vacuum wound bandage to the wound, the wound treatment apparatus comprising

an electronic display displaying information that instructs a user how to operate the wound treatment apparatus during normal operation of the wound treatment apparatus, the information being executable to operate the wound treatment apparatus when the display is displaying the information.

31. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 30, further comprising an irrigation mechanism to irrigate the wound, and the information comprises information to instruct a user how to operate the irrigation mechanism.

32. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 31, wherein the information comprises information to instruct a user how to calibrate the wound treatment apparatus.

33. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 32, wherein the wound treatment apparatus includes a waste collection canister to collect waste material from the vacuum wound bandage and a pressure sensor in communication with an interior region of the waste collection canister to sense pressure in the interior region, and the information comprises information to instruct a user how to calibrate the pressure sensor.