CONTROLLED NEGATIVE PRESSURE APPARATUS AND ABSORBENCY MECHANISM

• US 20120071845A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Spiracur Inc
• Inventors: HU, Dean, Anderson, Evan, Wu, Kenneth, Coxum, Tony, Yorkey, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,858,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/319
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/67 Containers incorporating a piston-type member to create suction, e.g. syringes cupping glasses A61M1/08; with a flexible member creating suction A61M1/68
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/80 Suction pumps A61M1/64, A61M1/71, A61M60/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/81 Piston pumps, e.g. syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/815 the barrel serving as aspiration container, e.g. in a breast pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/882 Draining devices provided with means for releasing antimicrobial or gelation agents in the drained fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/90 Negative pressure wound therapy devices, i.e. devices for applying suction to a wound to promote healing, e.g. including a vacuum dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/985 the dressing itself forming the collection container
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 automatically during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated

Abstract

Methods and devices for treatment of damaged tissue are disclosed, including treatment of wounds by employing non-electrically powered, reduced pressure therapy devices. The devices are capable of generating a substantially constant reduced pressure with low tolerance for pressure fluctuations. Also disclosed herein are reduced pressure therapy systems that comprise an alarm system to detect the depleted state of the suction device and provide an alert to the patient and/or practitioner.

Claims

1. A reduced pressure therapy system, comprising:

a suction device comprising a suction chamber with an inlet opening and a slidable seal therein;

a expandable fluid absorbent material located within the suction chamber; and

a screen configured to block displacement of the expandable fluid absorbent material out of the suction device.

2. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 1, wherein the screen is located within the suction chamber.

3. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 1, wherein the expandable fluid absorbent material, prior to any fluid absorption, has a fixed location in the suction chamber that is independent of suction device orientation.

4. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 3, wherein the expandable fluid absorbent material is retained by a carrier structure.

5. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 4, wherein the expandable fluid absorbent material is bonded to a surface of the carrier structure.

6. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 4, wherein the expandable fluid absorbent material is releasably contained within the carrier structure.

7. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 4, wherein the expandable fluid absorbent material is woven to a surface of the carrier structure.

8. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 4, wherein the carrier structure comprises an aperture therethrough, wherein the aperture is aligned with the inlet opening of the suction chamber.

9. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 4, wherein the screen is interposed between the inlet opening and the carrier structure.

10. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 8, wherein the screen is interposed between the inlet opening and the carrier structure.

11. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 6, wherein the carrier structure comprises a permeable pouch.

12. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 11, wherein the permeable pouch comprises two permeable layers sealed together.

13. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 12, wherein the two permeable layers are sealed together along the perimeter of each of the layers.

14. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 11, wherein the permeable pouch is attached to the screen.

15. The reduced pressure therapy system of claim 1, wherein the expandable fluid absorbent material comprises one or more disinfecting agents.

16. A method of treating a patient, comprising:

providing suction to a treatment site using a suction device; and

absorbing fluid from a treatment site using a fluid absorbent material, wherein the fluid absorbent, prior to fluid absorption, has a fixed location within the suction device.

17. The method of treating a patient of claim 16, further comprising:

blocking expulsion of the fluid absorbent material using a screen located within the suction device.

18. The method of treating a patient of claim 17, further comprising:

suctioning the fluid through the screen before absorbing the fluid using the fluid absorbent material.

19. The method of treating a patient of claim 17, further comprising:

dispersing the fluid absorbent material in a suction chamber of the suction device after fluid absorption.

20. The method of treating a patient of claim 16, wherein the fluid absorbent material is attached to a carrier structure with an opening substantially aligned with the inlet opening of the suction device, and wherein the suction is provided through the opening in the carrier structure.