Vacuum generation device for vacuum treatment of wounds

• US 20120289914A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Hartmann AG (Schwenk Zement KG)
• Original Assignee: Paul Hartmann AG (Schwenk Zement KG)
• Inventors: Eckstein, Axel, Hofstetter, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 8,540,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/313
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/85 with gas or fluid supply means, e.g. for supplying rinsing fluids or anticoagulants for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92, A61M1/94; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463; dental instruments with combined rinsing and aspirating A61C17/0208
• 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 1/964 having venting means on or near the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/984 portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3351 Controlling upstream pump pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 on the body

Abstract

A portable device (2) to generate a vacuum for the medical treatment of wounds on the bodies of humans or animals has a vacuum-producing suction pump (90) in a first housing part (4) of the device and a vessel (10) for receiving body liquids. Vacuum is applied for vacuum communication between the suction pump (90), the vessel (10) and a suction tube (82) leading to the body. A pressure sensor (94) measures the pressure in a tube section (88) and a programmable electronic control unit (100) controls the suction pump (90) in dependence on pressure values measured by the pressure sensor (94). The electronic control unit (100) deactivates the suction pump (90) if a rate of change in pressure (Δp/Δt) detected by the pressure sensor (94) exceeds a defined threshold value toward decreasing vacuum.

Claims

1. A portable device to generate a vacuum for medical vacuum treatment of wounds on a body of humans or animals, the device comprising:

a first housing part, said first housing part accommodating a vacuum-producing suction pump;

a vessel for receiving body liquids or wound exudates suctioned out of a wound, said vessel structured for releasable attachment to said first housing part, wherein vacuum is applied by said suction pump in an attached condition of said vessel, said vessel having a connection for a suction tube leading to the body for the establishment of vacuum communication between said suction pump, said vessel and the suction tube;

a pressure sensor disposed between said vessel and said suction pump to measure a pressure in a tube section; and

a programmable electronic control unit connected to said suction pump and to said pressure sensor for controlling operation of said suction pump in dependence on defined parameters and on pressure values measured by said pressure sensor, said electronic control unit being disposed, structured and dimensioned to deactivate said suction pump if, during continuing closed-loop vacuum control operation, a rate of change in pressure (Δ

p/Δ

t) detected by said pressure sensor exceeds a defined threshold value toward decreasing vacuum.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said threshold value is 40 mmHg/s or higher.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an output or display unit for generating a signal that visually or acoustically communicates an abrupt increase in pressure with a rate of pressure change above said threshold value.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising an output or display unit constituted for wireless communication of a signal to an external receiver that communicates an abrupt pressure increase with a rate of pressure change above said threshold value to said external receiver.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising an aeration valve which is controlled by said electronic control unit and connected to a wound space via an addition aeration tube to aerate the wound space with fresh air.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a facility controlled by said electronic control unit to supply a rinsing liquid or other fluid to a wound space via an additional rinsing tube.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said electronic control unit is constituted such that it also deactivates said facility for supplying a rinsing liquid or other fluid upon deactivation of said suction pump.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said electronic control unit is constituted in such a way that, upon correct or incorrect detection of a vessel-full state, said suction pump is not deactivated but continues a defined, closed-loop vacuum control operation.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said electronic control unit is constituted in such a way that, upon vacuum increase and decrease in an absolute pressure in a tube section disposed between said vessel and said suction pump, said suction pump is not deactivated, rather continues a defined closed-loop vacuum control operation.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said vacuum increase points to increasing filling of said vessel.

11. A method for operating the device of claim 1, wherein said electronic control unit uses signals of said pressure sensor to determine a rate of pressure change (Δ

p/Δ

t) and, upon decreasing vacuum and increasing absolute pressure, the rate of pressure change (Δ

p/Δ

t) is compared with a threshold value stored in said control unit, and said suction pump is deactivated when said threshold value is exceeded.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, upon vacuum increase and decrease in an absolute pressure in a tube section disposed between said vessel and said suction pump, said suction pump is not deactivated, rather a defined closed-loop vacuum control operation is continued.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said vacuum increase points to increasing filling of said vessel.