Closed wound drainage system

• US 6,979,324 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2002
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Convatec Limited (ConvaTec Group Plc)
• Original Assignee: Neogen Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Biggie, Lydia B., Biggie, John J., Dawson, John A., Bybordi, Farhad
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bogart, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US10/243,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 604/289, 604/290, 604/313, 604/543, 604/327, 604/355
• US Class Current: 604/313
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/80 Suction pumps A61M1/64, A61M1/71, A61M60/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/915 Constructional details of the pressure distribution manifold
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/916 specially adapted for deep wounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/92 with liquid supply means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/94 with gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/984 portable on the body
• 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 portable closed wound drainage system that uses a pouch shaped dressing which is inserted into a wound. At least a portion of the outer surface of the pouch is porous to allow exudates to enter. Exudates are removed from the pouch by flexible tubing which is secured inside the pouch at one end, and secured at the other end to a portable drain/suction unit. The pouch contains porous material, and may optionally contain beads and fillers which are antibacterial in nature. The tubing can have a single or multi-lumen structure with perforations in the side walls of the end of the tube that is inserted in the pouch to allow body fluids to enter laterally. The portable drain/suction unit is preferably a portable battery powered device. The pouch and the tube are sealed by a flexible sealing material which is applied to the outer surface of the skin around the periphery of the pouch and the tubing as it exits the pouch. This sealing material is preferably a hydro-colloid, a silicone, or a lyogel, such as a hydrogel, which are easily deformable. A cosmetic cover sheet is attached to the patient'"'"'s skin over the closed wound drainage system.

Claims

1. A closed wound dressing system comprising:

a pouch having a continuous, outer surface, at least portion of which is porous, the outer surface of the pouch forming an inner chamber having filler capable of holding exudates entering the chamber through the porous outer surface, the pouch further being flexible and conformable such that its external shape will conform to a wound cavity when the pouch is inserted into the wound cavity;

tubing having an inner conduit, a distal end and a proximal end, the tubing further having input means to accept exudates drawn into the tubing under vacuum pressure; and

a vacuum pump attached to the proximal end of the tubing, the vacuum pump applying vacuum pressure to the tubing;

whereby a wound cavity can be substantially filled by a porous conformable pouch which applies vacuum pressure to remove exudates from the wound.

2. A system, as in claim 1, wherein the filler is at least partially comprised of beads, the beads further having a shape which will conform to movement inside the pouch;

whereby the beads do not interfere with conforming the shape of the pouch to a wound cavity.

3. A system, as in claim 2, wherein the beads have antimicrobial characteristics.

4. A system, as in claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the beads are fabricated from silver.

5. A system, as in claim 3, wherein the distal end of the tubing further comprises a plurality of perforations, the perforations sized such that exudates can be drawn from the pouch into the tubing under vacuum pressure.

6. A system, as in claim 1, further comprising:

a layer of gel, the gel applied to an upper surface of a wound area and the pouch such that the wound area and the pouch are substantially isolated from the external environment.

7. A system, as in claim 6, wherein the gel is formulated from at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydro-colloids, silicones, lyogels and hydrogel.

8. A system, as in claim 7, further comprising:

an external drape, the external drape sized such that when applied to the area of the wound, it covers the entire wound area and the pouch, the external drape further attached to the wound area at its periphery.

9. A system, as in claim 1, wherein the distal end of the tubing further comprises a plurality of perforations, the perforations sized such that exudates can be drawn from the pouch into the tubing under vacuum pressure.

10. A system, as in claim 9, wherein the tubing further comprises at least a first and second lumen, at least one of the lumens being used to apply vacuum pressure to the pouch.

11. A system, as in claim 10, wherein the first lumen applies vacuum pressure to the pouch, and the second lumen is used to deliver medication to the pouch.

12. A system, as in claim 10, wherein the first lumen applies vacuum pressure to the pouch, and the second lumen applies electrical stimulation to the pouch.

13. A system, as in claim 10, further comprising:

a layer of gel, the gel applied to an upper surface of a wound area and the pouch such that the wound area and the pouch are substantially isolated from the external environment.

14. A system, as in claim 13, further comprising:

an external drape, the external drape sized such that when applied to the area of the wound, it covers the entire wound area and the pouch, the external drape further attached to the wound area at its periphery.

15. A system, as in claim 1 wherein the pouch is secured inside of the wound cavity with a layer of gel applied to the pouch and an upper surface of a wound area.

16. A method of draining wounds, comprising:

inserting a conformable pouch into a wound cavity such that the pouch substantially fills the cavity and remains in close proximity with the surface of the wound, the pouch having a continuous, external surface, the external surface of the pouch forming an internal cavity of the pouch;

applying vacuum pressure to the internal cavity of the pouch such that the vacuum pressure is distributed over a substantial portion of the pouch; and

making at least portion of the pouch porous such that exudates from the wound enter the pouch when vacuum pressure is applied;

whereby the conformable pouch remains in contact with a substantial surface area of the wound and provides vacuum drainage to a substantial surface area of the wound.

17. A method, as in claim 16, including the additional step of filling the internal cavity with filler, at least a portion of the filler being beads.

18. A method, as in claim 17, including the additional step of sealing the pouch and the wound area with a flexible gel.

19. A method, as in claim 18, including the additional step of providing an external cover over the wound and over the gel covering the pouch;

whereby the pouch and the wound are protected from the external environment.

20. A method, as in claim 16, including the additional step of providing a conduit to inject medication into the pouch;

whereby medication can be inserted into a sealed wound dressing.

21. A closed wound dressing system comprising:

a pouch having an outer surface, at least portion of which is porous, and an inner chamber having filler capable of holding exudates entering the chamber through the porous outer surface, the pouch further being flexible and conformable such that its external shape will conform to a wound cavity when the pouch is inserted into the wound cavity, the filler is at least partially comprised of beads, the beads further having a shape which will conform to movement inside the pouch, whereby the beads do not interfere with conforming the shape of the pouch to a wound cavity;

tubing having an inner conduit, a distal end and a proximal end, the tubing further having input means to accept exudates drawn into the tubing under vacuum pressure; and

a vacuum pump attached to the proximal end of the tubing, the vacuum pump applying vacuum pressure to the tubing;

whereby a wound cavity can be substantially filled by a porous conformable pouch which applies vacuum pressure to remove exudates from the wound.

22. A system, as in claim 21, wherein the beads have antimicrobial characteristics.

23. A system, as in claim 21, wherein the distal end of the tubing further comprises a plurality of perforations, the perforations sized such that exudates can be drawn from the pouch into the tubing under vacuum pressure.

24. A system, as in claim 21, further comprising:

a layer of gel, the gel applied to an upper surface of a wound area and the pouch such that the wound area and the pouch are substantially isolated from the external environment.

25. A closed wound dressing system comprising:

a pouch having an outer surface, at least portion of which is porous, and an inner chamber having filler capable of holding exudates entering the chamber through the porous outer surface, the pouch further being flexible and conformable such that its external shape will conform to a wound cavity when the pouch is inserted into the wound cavity;

a layer of gel, the gel applied to an upper surface of a wound area and the pouch such that the wound area and the pouch are substantially isolated from the external environment;

tubing having an inner conduit, a distal end and a proximal end, the tubing further having input means to accept exudates drawn into the tubing under vacuum pressure; and

a vacuum pump attached to the proximal end of the tubing, the vacuum pump applying vacuum pressure to the tubing;

whereby a wound cavity can be substantially filled by a porous conformable pouch which applies vacuum pressure to remove exudates from the wound.

26. A system, as in claim 25, wherein the gel is formulated from at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydro-colloids, silicones, lyogels and hydrogel.

27. A method of draining wounds comprising:

inserting a conformable pouch having an external surface and an internal cavity into the wound cavity, such that the pouch substantially fills the cavity and remains in close proximity with the surface of the wound;

filling the internal cavity with filler, at least a portion of the filler being beads;

applying vacuum pressure to the internal cavity of the pouch such that the vacuum pressure is distributed over a substantial portion of the pouch; and

making at least portion of the pouch porous such that exudates from the wound enter the pouch when vacuum pressure is applied;

whereby the conformable pouch remains in contact with a substantial surface area of the wound and provides vacuum drainage to a substantial surface area of the wound.

28. A method, as in claim 27, including the additional step of sealing the pouch and the wound area with a flexible gel.

29. A method of draining wounds comprising:

inserting a conformable pouch having an external surface and an internal cavity into the wound cavity, such that the pouch substantially fills the cavity and remains in close proximity with the surface of the wound;

applying vacuum pressure to the internal cavity of the pouch such that the vacuum pressure is distributed over a substantial portion of the pouch; and

making at least portion of the pouch porous such that exudates from the wound enter the pouch when vacuum pressure is applied;

whereby the conformable pouch remains in contact with a substantial surface area of the wound and provides vacuum drainage to a substantial surface area of the wound;

providing a conduit to inject medication into the pouch, whereby the medication can be inserted into a sealed wound dressing.

30. A method, as in claim 29, including the additional step of sealing the pouch and the wound area with a flexible gel.