Film barrier dressing for intravascular tissue monitoring system

• US 6,980,852 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2002
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inotech Medical Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Subqiview Incorporated
• Inventors: Jersey-Willuhn, Karen, Soleimani, Manuchehr
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US10/226,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20030216662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 600/547, 600/382, 600/544, 600/384, 600/393, 604/180, 604/307, 604/177, 604/116, 128/200.26, 128/207.17, 128/207.29, 128/DIG.26
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0536 Impedance imaging, e.g. by tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16836 by sensing tissue properties at the infusion site, e.g. for detecting infiltration detecting tissue temperature for diagnostic purposes A61M39/0247

Abstract

A medical apparatus comprises a dressing, one or more sensor elements integrated into the dressing, a flexible membrane coupled to the dressing, and an adhesive layer coupled to the dressing and coupled to the flexible membrane, the adhesive layer capable of attaching the apparatus to a patient'"'"'s skin.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a dressing;

one or more sensor elements integrated into the dressing further comprising;

patterned conductive inks integrated into the dressing;

dielectric insulators selectively patterned in combination with the patterned conductive inks to form the one or more sensor elements; and

a foam layer coupled to the patterned conductive inks and the dielectric insulators;

a flexible membrane coupled to the dressing; and

an adhesive layer coupled to the dressing and coupled to the flexible membrane, the adhesive layer capable of attaching the apparatus to a patient'"'"'s skin.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

the flexible membrane is at least partially transparent so that a patient'"'"'s tissue underlying the apparatus can be visually inspected.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the flexible membrane is a breathable barrier film that protects against and functions as a structural member that can secure an intravenous catheter.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a bio-impedance sensor integrated into the one or more sensor elements.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a bio-impedance sensor and an optical sensor integrated into the one or more sensor elements.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a bio-impedance sensor including a plurality of sensor elements configured to acquire impedance signals in three-dimensional space.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor electrode array including equally-spaced electrodes in a geometrical configuration.

8. A film barrier dressing comprising:

a flexible frame with an interior void;

a flexible protective film coupled to the flexible frame and extending over the interior void, the flexible protective film being at least partly transparent to permit viewing through the flexible frame interior void;

one or more sensor elements integrated into one or more portions of the flexible frame and the flexible protective film comprising;

patterned conductive inks integrated into the film barrier dressing;

dielectric insulators selectively patterned in combination with the patterned conductive inks to form the one or more sensor elements; and

a foam layer coupled to the patterned conductive inks and the dielectric insulators.

9. A film hairier dressing according to claim 8 further comprising:

an adhesive layer coupled to the film barrier dressing and coupled to the flexible membrane, the adhesive layer capable of attaching the apparatus to a patient'"'"'s skin.

10. A film baffier dressing according to claim 8 wherein:

the flexible protective film further comprises a microporous breathable barrier film capable of passing water vapor while preventing bacteria and viral transmission.

11. A film barrier dressing according to claim 8 wherein:

the flexible protective film further comprises a dense monolithic medium breathable barrier film capable of passing water vapor while preventing bacteria and viral transmission.

12. A film barrier dressing according to claim 8 wherein:

the flexible protective film has selective permeability to gases and vapors.

13. A film barrier dressing according to claim 8 wherein:

the flexible protective film is composed of a polyethylene material.

14. A film barrier dressing according to claim 8 wherein:

the flexible protective film is composed of a polypropylene material.

15. A film barrier dressing comprising:

a dressing comprising;

a base film layer;

one or more layers of a conductive ink selectively patterned over the base film layer;

one or more layers of a dielectric insulator selectively positioned alternating with the one or more conductive ink layers, the conductive ink and dielectric insulator layers being configured to form one or more sensor elements;

a foam layer coupled between the base film layer and the alternating conductive ink and dielectric insulator layers; and

a flexible membrane coupled to the dressing.

16. A film barrier dressing according to claim 15 wherein:

the dressing further comprises;

hydrogel layer coupled to the alternating conductive ink and dielectric insulator layers.

17. A film baffier dressing according to claim 15 further comprising:

an adhesive layer coupled to the dressing and coupled to the flexible membrane, the adhesive layer capable of attaching the apparatus to a patient'"'"'s skin.

18. A film baffier dressing according to claim 15 further comprising:

a film release liner coupled to the dressing and coupled to the flexible membrane.