System, Method, and Pump to Prevent Pump Contamination During Negative Pressure Wound Therapy

• US 20110038741A1
• Filed: 04/23/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deroyal Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Prospera Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Lissner, Andreas, Assmann, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,591,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/313
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 37/10 for special use for evacuating by absorption or adsorption F04B37/02; for evacuating by thermal means F04B37/06
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/20 Filtering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0441 Repairing, securing, replacing, or servicing pipe joint, valve, or tank

Abstract

A pump assembly suitable for negative pressure wound therapy that includes an internal filter for preventing contamination in various components of the pump assembly, such as the pump unit. The internal filter is located in an isolated filter chamber, and inlet vacuum tubing that could contain fluids or bacteria are located inside a double containment sleeve to prevent contamination of components of the pump. The inlet vacuum tubing may be removed without opening the main pump housing and without contaminating the contents of the pump housing.

Claims

1. A medical vacuum pump system, the system comprising:

a pump housing having an interior cavity;

a filter chamber located inside the pump housing, the filter chamber being substantially isolated from the interior cavity;

a filter assembly located inside the filter chamber;

an outer sleeve projecting through the pump housing and interior cavity, and having an inner annulus in communication with the filter chamber and sealed from the interior cavity;

an inlet tube slidablely disposed within the outer sleeve, and having an end in selective communication with a wound and an opposite end in communication with the filter assembly,

an external filter in communication with the inlet tube and disposed between the wound and the pump housing;

a vacuum pump disposed in the interior cavity and in communication with the filter; and

a frangible connection on an outlet line between the filter assembly and the vacuum pump and a frangible connection on the inlet tube between the filter assembly and the external filter, so that when the frangible connections are decoupled, the filter assembly and a portion of the inlet tube are selectively removable as a module that is isolated from the cavity.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an external tube in communication with the external filter;

and a nipple having a passage therethrough, the nipple having a first outer diameter surface for engaging an inner diameter surface of the inlet tube, and a second outer diameter surface for engaging an inner diameter of the external tube;

wherein the nipple is moveable from an attached position to a detached position, the attached position connecting the nipple to the housing and placing the first outer diameter surface within the outer sleeve, and the detached position locating the first outer diameter surface and a portion of the internal inlet tube outside of the housing.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a bushing located in an aperture of the housing, the bushing having a surface for engaging an end of the outer sleeve and a passage therethrough, wherein the nipple is concentrically located in the passage in the attached position.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the nipple comprises a plurality of locking tabs for engaging a plurality of slots located on the bushing.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a selectively removable access panel on the exterior of the pump housing and that defines a portion of the periphery of the filter chamber.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the access panel requires one of a key and a tool to open.

7. The system according to claim 3, further comprising a collection canister having a collection canister inlet and a collection canister outlet, in communication with the external filter, for containing at least a portion of a fluid that enters the collection canister;

and

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a dressing medium located in the wound, a drain tube above the dressing medium, and a semi-permeable wound dressing covering the dressing medium and sealingly engaging skin around the wound bed, wherein the drain tube is in communication with the collection canister.

9. A method for preventing fluids from entering a vacuum pump, the method comprising:

providing a pump assembly having a housing having an exterior and an interior, a vacuum pump in a cavity in the housing, and a filter assembly in a filter compartment that is sealed from the cavity;

providing a secondary containment tube through the cavity interior of the pump housing and to the filter compartment;

providing an inlet tube having a frangible connection, from the filter assembly through the secondary containment tube and to a dressing tubing;

inducing flow from the dressing tubing into the inlet tube and filter assembly by creating a vacuum in the filter assembly; and

replacing the filter assembly and inlet tube by decoupling the frangible connection and removing the filter assembly and inlet tube.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising connecting an external filter to the nipple and connecting a canister to the external filter, wherein the dressing tubing is connected to the canister.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising placing a dressing medium in a wound bed, placing a drain hose above the dressing, covering the dressing medium and a portion of the drain hose with a semi-permeable cover, and connecting the drain hose to dressing tubing.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising installing a cover over the filter chamber.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the inlet tube and filter by performing the steps of:

removing the nipple from the bushing to expose a portion of the inlet tube;

cutting the inlet tube between the nipple and the filter;

removing the cover from the filter chamber;

disconnecting the outlet tube from the filter; and

removing the filter and the substantial portion of the inlet tube from the pump housing.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the secondary containment tube prevents fluid from the inlet tube from contacting the interior of the pump housing.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising stopping the pump motor responsive to fluid occluding the internal filter.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein only authorized users have access to the internal filter.

17. A medical vacuum pump system, the system comprising:

a pump housing having an interior cavity;

a filter chamber located inside the pump housing, the filter chamber being substantially isolated from the interior cavity;

an access panel on the exterior of the pump housing, the access panel providing access to the filter chamber;

an internal filter located inside the filter chamber, the internal filter having an inlet and an outlet, preventing at least a portion of bacteria entering the inlet from passing to the outlet and halting flow through the internal filter when the internal filter absorbs a predetermined amount of moisture;

a bushing located in an orifice of the pump housing, the bushing having a first end and a second end;

an outer sleeve connected to the first end of the bushing and in communication with the filter chamber;

an internal inlet tube located inside an outer containment tube, the internal inlet tube having a first end and a second end,

a vacuum port releasably engaged in the second end of the bushing and protruding from the surface of the pump housing;

a vacuum pump motor, wherein the vacuum pump motor is in communication with the internal filter;

electronic controls associated with the pump motor and with a pressure sensor in communication with the pump motor, wherein the electronic controls stop the pump motor when the pressure sensor determines there is no flow through the internal filter;

wherein the first end of the internal inlet tube is connected to the internal filter and the second end of the internal inlet tube is connected to the vacuum port; and

wherein the outer sleeve isolates the internal inlet tube from the interior cavity.

18. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

an external filter having an external filter inlet and an external filter outlet, in communication with the internal inlet tube, and preventing at least a portion of bacteria entering the external filter inlet from passing to the external filter outlet;

a collection canister having a collection canister inlet and a collection canister outlet, in communication with the external filter, for containing at least a portion of a fluid that enters the collection canister; and

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a dressing medium located in a wound be, a drain tube above the dressing medium, and a semi-permeable wound dressing covering the dressing medium and sealingly engaging skin around the wound bed, wherein the drain tube is in communication with the collection canister.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the internal inlet tube and the internal filter can be removed without contaminating the interior cavity of the pump housing.