Wound Healing Sensor Techniques
First Claim
1. An apparatus to evaluate and monitor healing progress of wound and/or to generate data to modify or identify a treatment protocol, comprising:
- a dressing enclosure for administering reduced pressure treatment to a wound, wherein the enclosure is configured to cover the wound and to maintain reduced pressure at the wound location;
a device capable of supplying reduced pressure;
a fluid trap connected between said dressing enclosure for said wound and said device capable of supplying reduced pressure to withdraw fluid exudate from said wound; and
a sensor capable of analyzing said fluid exudate for one or more analytes indicative of said progress of wound healing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed at methods and apparatus to evaluate and monitor healing progress of wound and/or to generate data to modify or identify a treatment protocol. Fluid exudate removed from the wound by a negative pressure therapy device may now be analyzed to identify the progress of wound healing, such as whether healing is progressing in a positive manner or experiencing one or more impediments. The fluid exudates may be specifically analyzed for one or more analytes indicative of one or more of the biochemical reactions that may occur during wound recovery. In addition, one may separately utilize optical sensors integrated into a dressing enclosure, optionally in those dressings employed in a negative pressure therapy device. Such optical sensors may then illuminate the wound and collect information regarding the wound via a light scattering type response.
70 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus to evaluate and monitor healing progress of wound and/or to generate data to modify or identify a treatment protocol, comprising:
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a dressing enclosure for administering reduced pressure treatment to a wound, wherein the enclosure is configured to cover the wound and to maintain reduced pressure at the wound location; a device capable of supplying reduced pressure; a fluid trap connected between said dressing enclosure for said wound and said device capable of supplying reduced pressure to withdraw fluid exudate from said wound; and a sensor capable of analyzing said fluid exudate for one or more analytes indicative of said progress of wound healing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus to evaluate and monitor healing progress of wound and/or to generate data to modify or identify a treatment protocol comprising:
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a dressing enclosure for administering reduced pressure treatment to a wound, wherein the enclosure is configured to cover the wound and to maintain reduced pressure at the wound location; a device capable of supplying reduced pressure; a microfluidic device connected between said dressing enclosure for said wound and said device capable of supplying reduced pressure to withdraw fluid exudate from said wound; and a sensor in said microfluidic device capable of analyzing said fluid exudates for one or more analytes indicative of said progress of wound healing. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus to evaluate and monitor healing progress of a wound comprising:
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a dressing applied to a wound, wherein the dressing is configured to cover the wound; and an optical sensor in said dressing, wherein said optical sensor is configured to provide varying wavelengths of light to said wound location.
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29. A method to evaluate and monitor healing progress of a wound via analysis of wound fluid exudate comprising:
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locating a dressing enclosure for administering reduced pressure treatment to a wound at a wound location, wherein said enclosure is configured to cover said wound and to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound; supplying a device that provides reduced pressure to said dressing enclosure; locating a fluid trap connected between said dressing enclosure for said wound and said device capable of supplying reduced pressure; withdrawing fluid exudate from said wound; supplying a sensor capable of analyzing said fluid exudate for one or more analytes indicative of the progress of said wound healing; and identifying one or more of said analytes.
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30. A method to evaluate and monitor healing progress of a wound via analysis of wound fluid exudate comprising:
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locating a dressing enclosure for administering reduced pressure treatment to a wound at a wound location, wherein said enclosure is configured to cover said wound and to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound; supplying a device that provides reduced pressure to said dressing enclosure; locating a microfluidic device between said dressing enclosure for said wound and said device capable of supplying reduced pressure; withdrawing fluid exudate from said wound; supplying a sensor within said microfluidic device capable of analyzing said fluid exudates for one or more analytes indicative of the progress of said wound healing; and identifying one or more of said analytes.
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Specification