WOUND TREATMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20110092958A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Premco Medical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Premco Medical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacobs, Harold L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,480,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/543
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0216 the fluid handling member being non absorbent, e.g. for use with sub- or over-pressure therapy, wound drainage or wound irrigation systems
• 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: A61F 2013/00412 for use with needles, tubes or catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/95 with sensors for exudate composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/96 Suction control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/982 with means for detecting level of collected exudate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3324 PH measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3382 Upper level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202

Abstract

A wound treatment apparatus (10) includes a negative pressure source (12), a bandage (22) configured to cover a wound and provide a sealed region around the wound, a drainage tube (21) coupled to the bandage (22) and the negative pressure source (12) to drain fluid from the wound. The apparatus (10) also includes a controller (14) coupled to the negative pressure source (12) and at least one of an oxygen sensor (26), a carbon dioxide sensor (30), a pH sensor (28), and a temperature sensor (29) in fluid communication with the drainage tube (26).

Claims

1. A wound treatment apparatus comprising:

a negative pressure source;

a bandage configured to cover a wound and provide a sealed region around the wound;

a drainage tube coupled to the bandage and the negative pressure source to drain fluid from the wound;

a controller coupled to the negative pressure source; and

a pH sensor in fluid communication with the drainage tube to provide a pH level of fluid drained from the wound.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pH sensor is coupled to the controller so that the controller controls the negative pressure source based on an output signal from the pH sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the negative pressure source based the output signal from the pH sensor to maintain the pH level of the wound at substantially a desired level.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to issue an alarm when the pH level of the wound crosses a preset threshold level.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor and a temperature sensor also in fluid communication with the drainage tube so that at least two sensors are coupled to the controller and the controller controls the negative pressure source based output signals from the at least two sensors.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least three of the oxygen sensor, the carbon dioxide sensor, the pH sensor, and the temperature sensor are in fluid communication with the drainage tube, the at least three sensors being coupled to the controller so that the controller controls the negative pressure source based output signals from the at least three sensors.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the oxygen sensor, the carbon dioxide sensor, the pH sensor, and the temperature sensor are all simultaneously in fluid communication with the drainage tube, the oxygen sensor, the carbon dioxide sensor, the pH sensor, and the temperature sensor being coupled to the controller so that the controller controls the negative pressure source based output signals from the sensors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a 3-D camera coupled to the controller.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bandage includes an antimicrobial gauze material surrounded by a transparent adhesive dressing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the drainage tube includes an end portion located within the gauze below the adhesive dressing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a canister coupled to the drainage tube to collect fluid drained from the wound.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a capacitance overfill sensor having an output coupled to the controller, the capacitance overfill sensor detecting a level of fluid in the canister and providing an output signal to the controller when the fluid level reaches a predetermined level.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the canister includes at least one sight glass to permit a visual inspection of the fluid level within the canister.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to send data from the at least one sensor to a remote location via a communication network to at least one of a caregiver'"'"'s computer and an insurance company'"'"'s computer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive control instructions from the caregiver'"'"'s computer via the communication network and to adjust a therapy applied to the wound based on the received instructions.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a touch screen control panel coupled to the controller.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller maintains a negative pressure applied by the negative pressure source at a predetermined set point within a tolerance of about 2 mmHg or less.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller maintains a negative pressure applied by the negative pressure source at a predetermined set point within a tolerance of about 1 mmHg or less.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller maintains a negative pressure applied by the negative pressure source at a predetermined set point within a tolerance of about ½

mmHg or less.

20. A method of treating a wound comprising:

providing a wound treatment apparatus having a negative pressure source, a bandage configured to cover the wound and provide a sealed region around a perimeter of the wound, at least one drainage tube coupled to the bandage and the negative pressure source, a controller coupled to the negative pressure source, and a data collector coupled to the at least one drainage tube and the controller; and

transmitting data collected by the data collector from the controller of the wound treatment apparatus to at least one of a caregiver'"'"'s computer and an insurance company'"'"'s computer at a remote location via a communication network.

21-34. -34. (canceled)