Low-profile reduced pressure treatment system

• US 20090177172A1
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Inventors: Wilkes, Robert Peyton
• Granted Patent: US 8,377,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/305
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0253 characterized by the adhesive material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0263 especially adapted for island dressings
• 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 1/71 Suction drainage systems containers therefor A61M1/60, A61M1/64; negative pressure wound therapy systems A61M1/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/913 having a bridging element for transferring the reduced pressure from the connector to the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/96 Suction control thereof

Abstract

A low-profile reduced pressure treatment apparatus and system are provided. The apparatus includes a moldable conduit holder, a conduit through the conduit holder, and a flexible base. The conduit holder has first and second bulkhead surfaces, a convex top surface, and a bottom surface adapted to conform to a tissue contact region adjacent to a tissue site. An end of the conduit is substantially flush with the first bulkhead surface and a longitudinal axis of the conduit is substantially perpendicular to the first and second bulkhead surfaces. The base is connected on a first side to the bottom surface of the conduit holder, and extends beyond the first bulkhead surface to form an overlay zone adjacent the first bulkhead surface. An adhesive is disposed on a second side of the flexible base to secure the flexible base to the tissue contact region.

Claims

1. A reduced pressure treatment apparatus comprising:

a moldable conduit holder having substantially parallel first and second bulkhead surfaces, a convex top surface, and a bottom surface adapted to substantially conform in shape to a tissue contact region adjacent to a tissue site;

a conduit extending through the conduit holder such that an end of the conduit is substantially flush with the first bulkhead surface and a longitudinal axis of the conduit is substantially perpendicular to the first and second bulkhead surfaces;

a flexible base having a first side connected to the bottom surface of the conduit holder, the base extending beyond the first bulkhead surface to form an overlay zone adjacent the first bulkhead surface; and

an adhesive disposed on a second side of the flexible base to secure the flexible base to the tissue contact region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a porous bridge of a thickness substantially equal to the maximum height of the conduit holder between the bottom and top surfaces to facilitate fluid communication between the conduit and the porous bridge when the porous bridge is placed on the overlay zone of the flexible base adjacent the first bulkhead surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a porous bridge of a thickness substantially equal to the maximum height of the conduit holder between the bottom and top surfaces to facilitate fluid communication between the conduit and the porous bridge when the porous bridge is placed on the overlay zone of the flexible base adjacent the first bulkhead surface;

and

a drape having sufficient dimensions to cover the conduit holder and the porous bridge, and having an adhesive surface for sealing the drape over the conduit holder and porous bridge.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conduit holder is formed from room-temperature-vulcanized silicone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible base is adhesively connected to the bottom surface of the conduit holder.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second conduit positioned adjacent the first conduit and extending through the conduit holder such that an end of the second conduit is substantially flush with the first bulkhead surface and a longitudinal axis of the second conduit is substantially perpendicular to the first and second bulkhead surfaces.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conduit holder further comprises:

a first flexible membrane forming the bottom surface;

a second flexible membrane forming the top surface; and

a moldable material disposed between the first and second flexible membranes to encase the conduit between the first and second flexible membranes.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first and second flexible membranes are nitrile film.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible base comprises a polyurethane membrane and a polyurethane drape.

10. A reduced pressure treatment system comprising:

a moldable conduit holder having substantially parallel first and second bulkhead surfaces, a concave bottom surface, and a convex top surface, the bottom surface adapted to substantially conform in shape to a tissue contact region adjacent to a tissue site;

a conduit received by the conduit holder such that an end of the conduit is substantially flush with the first bulkhead surface and a longitudinal axis of the conduit is substantially perpendicular to the first and second bulkhead surfaces;

a base having a side connected to the bottom surface of the conduit holder, the base extending beyond the first bulkhead surface to form an overlay zone adjacent the first bulkhead surface;

a porous pad having a primary delivery region configured to contact the tissue site and a bridge region configured to contact the conduit and the overlay zone of the base;

a drape sized to cover and create a sealed space around the conduit holder and the porous pad; and

a reduced pressure source fluidly connected to the conduit to deliver reduced pressure through the conduit, the bridge region of the porous pad, and the primary delivery region of the porous pad.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the conduit holder is formed from room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the base is adhesively connected to the bottom surface of the conduit holder.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second conduit positioned adjacent the first conduit such that an end of the second conduit is substantially flush with the first bulkhead surface and a longitudinal axis of the second conduit is substantially perpendicular to the first and second bulkhead surfaces.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the conduit holder further comprises:

a first flexible membrane forming the bottom surface;

a second flexible membrane forming the top surface; and

a moldable material disposed between the first and second flexible membranes to encase the conduit between the first and second flexible membranes.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second membranes are nitrile film.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a porous extension region oriented adjacent to the primary delivery region so that the porous extension region extends into the tissue site.

17. A reduced pressure system comprising:

a first manifold means positioned in contact with a tissue site for distributing reduced pressure to the tissue site;

a second manifold means positioned out of contact with the tissue site but in fluid communication with the first manifold means for distributing reduced pressure to the first manifold site;

a holding means for positioning a conduit in fluid communication with the second manifold means such that the conduit abuts a surface of the second manifold that is substantially perpendicular to tissue surrounding the tissue site; and

reduced pressure means for inducing a reduced pressure within the conduit.

18. A reduced pressure treatment apparatus comprising:

a first drape having a bridge overlay zone;

an adhesive coating on a side of the first drape opposing the bridge overlay zone;

a conduit secured to the first drape so that an end of the conduit is adjacent to the bridge zone; and

a second drape sealed to the first drape so that the conduit is secured between the first and the second drape, and the end of the conduit is exposed to the bridge overlay zone.

19. A process for treating a tissue site, the process comprising:

positioning a first flexible membrane so that an overlay zone is adjacent to the tissue site and a conduit holder is adjacent to the overlay zone opposite the tissue site;

positioning a porous pad so that a bridge region is aligned with the overlay zone and a primary delivery region is aligned with the tissue site;

connecting the porous pad to a reduced pressure source through a conduit in the conduit holder;

positioning a second flexible membrane over the conduit holder and the porous pad;

sealing the second flexible membrane to the tissue contact region; and

applying reduced pressure from the reduced pressure source to the tissue site through the conduit and the porous pad.

20. The process of claim 19, further comprising monitoring the reduced pressure at the tissue site through a second conduit in the conduit holder.