WOUND TREATMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20100022941A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vaporox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IYIA Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Pelkus, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/02 with artificial climate; with means to maintain a desired pressure, e.g. for germ-free rooms dust-free laboratory rooms B01L1/04; decompression arrangements B63C11/32; arrangements or adaptations in aircraft B64D13/00; air-conditioning in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/06 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/106 for the lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/00 Baths for specific parts of the body electric circuits therefor A61H33/005; specific components therefor A61H33/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0011 using physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0088 Liquid substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0643 Applicators, probes irradiating specific body areas in close proximity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning

Abstract

A wound treatment system includes a vessel that is sized to receive a human limb. The vessel includes a chamber with an opening leading into the chamber A removable liner lines the chamber of the vessel and forms a treatment zone. A humidifier in fluid communication with the treatment zone humidifies a solution of water and antibacterial agent. An oxygen source is in fluid communication with the treatment zone. A speaker is coupled to the vessel and emits low frequency sound waves to the chamber. a first array of light emitting diodes that emits ultraviolet light is coupled to the vessel near the opening of the treatment chamber. A second array of light emitting diodes that emits pulsed light into the chamber is coupled to the chamber. The system also includes a control panel.

Claims

1. A wound treatment apparatus comprising:

a treatment vessel having a treatment chamber and one or more openings to the treatment chamber that are each sized to receive a human limb;

a removable and substantially gas impermeable liner that lines the chamber of the vessel and forms a treatment zone around a patient'"'"'s limb;

a mixture tank that holds a humidifying agent, wherein the mixture tank is in fluid communication with the chamber of the vessel;

a first array of light emitting diodes that emits ultraviolet light, wherein the first array of light emitting diodes is coupled to the vessel near the opening of the treatment chamber;

a speaker attached to the vessel, wherein the speaker delivers low frequency sound waves to the chamber; and

a second array of light emitting diodes coupled to the chamber, wherein the second array of light emitting diodes emits pulsed light into the chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lining comprises a sterile plastic material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an access port in the chamber for receiving warm water, and wherein the entry of warm water into the chamber collapses the liner around the patient'"'"'s limb.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first array of light emitting diodes forms a ring that is concentric with the opening of the chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first array of light emitting diodes emits light within a frequency range sufficient to reduce or destroy bacteria.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first array of light emitting diodes emits light within a frequency range of about 290 nm to about 260 nm.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a hose connects the mixture tank with the chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pump that pumps water out of the chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a humidifier humidifies the mixture contained in the mixture tank and a hose carries the humidified mixture to the treatment zone through an inlet port in the vessel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inlet port that is in fluid communication with the vessel, wherein oxygen is delivered to the treatment zone through the inlet port.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second array of light emitting diodes emits infrared light.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liner comprises a pressure release valve that releases gas from the treatment zone at a predetermined pressure setting.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vessel comprises a lid over the opening of the chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cuff that is removably coupled to the opening of the vessel and that is sized to sealingly engage a human limb when the limb is inserted through the opening;

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cuff comprises an open cell material that naturally leaks fluid, thereby forming a baffle for the treatment zone.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cuff gradually leaks fluid to prevent a sudden loss of pressure in the treatment zone.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cuff comprises a material that acts as a filter for pathogenic material.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a temperature sensor is in fluid communication with the treatment zone.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a humidity sensor is in fluid communication with the treatment zone.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a pressure sensor is in fluid communication with the treatment zone.

21. A wound treatment system comprising:

a vessel that is sized to receive a human limb, the vessel comprising a chamber with at least one opening leading into the chamber;

a removable and substantially gas impermeable liner that lines the chamber of the vessel and forms a treatment zone;

a humidifier that humidifies a solution of water and antibacterial agent, wherein the humidifier is in fluid communication with the treatment zone;

an oxygen source that is in fluid communication with the treatment zone;

a speaker coupled to the vessel, wherein the speaker emits low frequency sound waves to the chamber;

a first array of light emitting diodes that emits ultraviolet light, wherein the first array of light emitting diodes is coupled to the vessel near the opening of the treatment chamber and wherein the first array of light emitting diodes emits light within a frequency range sufficient to reduce or destroy bacteria;

a second array of light emitting diodes coupled to the chamber, wherein the second array of light emitting diodes emits pulsed light into the chamber; and

a control panel.

22. The wound treatment system of claim 21, wherein the humidifier comprises an adiabatic humidifier.

23. The wound treatment system of claim 22, wherein the adiabatic humidifier uses ultrasonic energy to form a mist from the solution of water and antibacterial agent.

24. The wound treatment system of claim 21, wherein the control panel comprises:

a humidifier control that controls the operation of the humidifier;

an ultraviolet light control that controls the first array of light emitting diodes;

an infrared light control that controls the second array of light emitting diodes;

a audio control that controls the speaker; and

a master power switch.

25. The wound treatment system of claim 21, wherein the second array of light emitting diodes emits infrared light.

26. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a source of warm fluid that is in fluid communication with the chamber.

27. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a pump that pumps the warm fluid out of the chamber.

28. The wound treatment system of claim 21, wherein the control panel comprises a manual control switch that permits manual operation of the system.

29. The wound treatment system of claim 21, wherein the control panel comprises an auto control switch that permits automatic operation of the system according to a predetermined regimen.

30. The wound treatment system of claim 21, wherein the auto control switch comprises a plurality of auto settings corresponding to a plurality of predetermined regimens.

31. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a foam cuff that is coupled to a limb of a patient, wherein the cuff is sized to substantially form a seal between the limb and the opening of the chamber.

32. The wound treatment system of claim 31, wherein the foam cuff comprises an open cell material that slowly leaks fluid.

33. The wound treatment system of claim 31, wherein the foam cuff comprises a material that acts as a filter for pathogenic material.

34. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising an oximeter that is coupled to the patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the oximeter is in electrical communication with control circuitry integrated with the control panel.

35. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a pressure sensor in communication with the treatment zone.

36. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a humidity sensor in communication with the treatment zone.

37. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a temperature sensor in communication with the treatment zone.

38. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a housing that contains at least a portion of the wound treatment system, and wherein the oxygen source comprises an oxygen tank or an O2 concentrator contained in the housing.

39. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a wireless transmitter adapted to transmit data.

40. The wound treatment system of claim 21, further comprising a barcode data reader for reading data.

41. A wound treatment method for treating a wounded limb comprising:

cleaning the wound;

disinfecting the limb by passing the limb through a ring of ultraviolet light emitting diodes that emit ultraviolet light on the limb as the limb passes through the ring;

placing a cuff around the limb;

placing the limb into a vessel comprising a chamber that is lined with a substantially gas impermeable liner, wherein the cuff substantially forms a seal with an opening of the chamber thereby forming a substantially gas impermeable treatment zone around a portion of the limb distal the cuff;

heating the limb by introducing warm water into the chamber thereby collapsing the liner around the patient'"'"'s limb;

emptying the water out of the chamber;

introducing a temperature controlled mist of water and an antibacterial solution into the treatment zone;

massaging the limb by activating a speaker coupled to the vessel that transmits low frequency sound waves to the treatment zone;

heating the limb by activating an array of light emitting diodes coupled to the vessel that emits pulsed light onto the limb; and

introducing oxygen into the treatment zone.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the pulsed light comprises infrared light.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the antibacterial agent comprises ionic silver, hydrogen peroxide, bacitracin, betadine, or isopropyl alcohol.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the antibacterial agent comprises an adiabatically humidified hydrogen peroxide/silver solution.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising monitoring the patient'"'"'s blood oxygen level using an oximeter.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising discontinuing treatment if the patient'"'"'s blood oxygen level reaches a predetermined level.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the speaker transmits at a frequency about 440 Hz.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein the oxygen displaces the mist.