Wound mapping system

• US 20060270942A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Ulster
• Original Assignee: University of Ulster
• Inventors: McAdams, Eric Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0436 Material of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

A tissue mapping system comprising a two dimensional array of test electrodes 10 for application to the surface of tissue under investigation and circuit means 50-66 for measuring an electrical characteristic of the tissue underlying each test electrode. In one embodiment the electrical characteristics is the impedance of the tissue underlying each test electrode.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A tissue measurement system comprising a two-dimensional array of test electrodes for application to the surface of tissue under investigation, circuit means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the tissue underlying each test electrode, and means for presenting at least one value representing a physical characteristic of at least one region of tissue based upon the measured electrical characteristics.

32. A system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the physical characteristic is area.

33. A system as claimed in claim 32, wherein the presenting means presents a plurality of values on a display device to provide a visual map representing the physical extent of the region of tissue.

34. A system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the array of test electrodes is arranged on a flexible backing of insulating material.

35. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the array of electrodes is a rectangular array.

36. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein each test electrode is covered with a conductive gel, the resistance between adjacent test electrodes being high relative to the resistance via the gel between each test electrode and the underlying tissue.

37. A system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the gel is hydrogel.

38. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein leads for the test electrodes are also disposed on the flexible backing of insulating material and covered with an insulating material.

39. A system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the two-dimensional array comprises at least 25 test electrodes.

40. A system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the electrical characteristic is the impedance of the tissue underlying each test electrode.

41. A system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the circuit means measures the electrical characteristic by applying an alternating electrical signal between the test electrode and at least one other electrode applied to the organic body of which the tissue forms a part.

42. A system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the circuit means measures the electrical characteristic by measuring the voltage between each test electrode and an adjacent reference electrode also applied to the tissue.

43. A system as claimed in claim 42, wherein the reference electrode is also disposed on the flexible backing of insulating material.

44. A system as claimed in claim 43, wherein a single reference electrode is common to a plurality of test electrodes.

45. A system as claimed in claim 43, wherein during measurement on a given test electrode an adjacent test electrode acts temporarily as its reference electrode.

46. A system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the said at least one other electrode is also disposed on the flexible backing of insulating material.

47. A system as claimed in claim 41, wherein for each test electrode a measurement is made at a plurality of different frequencies.

48. A system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the or each measurement is made at a frequency of from 1 milliHz to 100 kHz.

49. A system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the array of test electrodes is incorporated into a wound dressing.

50. A method of measuring tissue comprising applying a two-dimensional array of test electrodes to the surface of tissue under investigation, measuring an electrical characteristic of the tissue underlying each test electrode, and presenting at least one value representing a physical characteristic of at least one region of tissue based upon the measured electrical characteristics.

51. A method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the physical characteristic is area.

52. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein a plurality of values are presented on a display device to provide a visual map representing the physical extent of the region of tissue.

53. A method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the array of test electrodes is arranged on a flexible backing of insulating material.

54. A method as claimed in claim 53, wherein each test electrode is covered with a conductive gel, the resistance between adjacent test electrodes being high relative to the resistance via the gel between each test electrode and the underlying tissue.

55. A method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the two-dimensional array comprises at least 25 test electrodes.

56. A method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the electrical characteristic is the impedance of the tissue underlying each test electrode.

57. A method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the electrical characteristic is measured by applying an alternating electrical signal between the test electrode and at least one other electrode applied to the organic body of which the tissue forms a part.

58. A method as claimed in claim 57, wherein the electrical characteristic is measured by measuring the voltage between each test electrode and an adjacent reference electrode also applied to the tissue.

59. A method as claimed in claim 57, wherein for each test electrode a measurement is made at a plurality of different frequencies.

60. A method as claimed in claim 50, wherein the array of test electrodes is incorporated into a wound dressing and applied to a wound.