Method and apparatus for treating wound using negative pressure therapy
First Claim
1. A method of treating a wound or edema on a foot or lower body extremity, the method comprising:
- disposing the foot or lower body extremity in a sock-shaped garment wrappable on the foot or lower body extremity circumferentially, the garment comprising a supple air-impermeable layer, a supple air-porous layer being disposed at least partially between the air-impermeable layer and the foot or lower body extremity and further having a seal formed at a top of the garment removed from the foot, wherein the garment comprises a plurality of air pockets which are fluidly inter-coupled, the air-porous layer facilitating movement of the air interspaced between the foot or lower body extremity and the air-impermeable layer, the garment further comprising a wicking layer disposed at least partially between the air-impermeable layer and the foot or lower body extremity, the wicking layer wicking moisture away from the foot or lower body extremity;
fluidly coupling a pump to the garment; and
actuating the pump to intermittently remove air interspaced between the garment and the foot or lower body extremity such that the garment collapses from an open shape sized for receiving the foot or lower body extremity into a collapsed shape against the foot in an air-tight manner when the interspaced air is removed such that each successive air pocket farther from the foot exerts a relatively lower pressure upon the foot and/or a portion of a leg creating a pressure gradient.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices that employ external compression stocking-type garments in the treatment of edema, chronic wounds, deep venous thrombosis prevention or claudication all share a number of significant limitations. These include the frequent need for custom fitting to assure an appropriate fit, vigilant maintenance to assure a continued “good fit,” limited compliance with proper use by patients and difficulty of application. There is a large body of evidence demonstrating that patients often decline to wear the compressive stockings as prescribed or in the form that would be most beneficial because they find these devices to be difficult to put on and take off.
Building on the limitations of existing therapies, and distilled lessons learned from the field of prosthetics and wound healing, the present invention employs vacuum-assisted negative pressure to provide compression and help pump fluid from the tissues of affected limbs. The device is embodied in the form of a flexible stocking-like garment that will utilize a pumping mechanism to generate negative pressure around the limb and thus create vacuum compression that will mobilize fluid in a limb and increase venous return to the heart. Through the use of a circumferential wrap, the present invention provides a major advance in both the distribution of vacuum and the securing of the device over the limb.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of treating a wound or edema on a foot or lower body extremity, the method comprising:
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disposing the foot or lower body extremity in a sock-shaped garment wrappable on the foot or lower body extremity circumferentially, the garment comprising a supple air-impermeable layer, a supple air-porous layer being disposed at least partially between the air-impermeable layer and the foot or lower body extremity and further having a seal formed at a top of the garment removed from the foot, wherein the garment comprises a plurality of air pockets which are fluidly inter-coupled, the air-porous layer facilitating movement of the air interspaced between the foot or lower body extremity and the air-impermeable layer, the garment further comprising a wicking layer disposed at least partially between the air-impermeable layer and the foot or lower body extremity, the wicking layer wicking moisture away from the foot or lower body extremity; fluidly coupling a pump to the garment; and actuating the pump to intermittently remove air interspaced between the garment and the foot or lower body extremity such that the garment collapses from an open shape sized for receiving the foot or lower body extremity into a collapsed shape against the foot in an air-tight manner when the interspaced air is removed such that each successive air pocket farther from the foot exerts a relatively lower pressure upon the foot and/or a portion of a leg creating a pressure gradient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A device for treating a wound or edema on a foot, the device comprising:
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a sock-shaped garment configured for receiving the foot, the garment comprising a supple air-impermeable layer wrappable on the foot circumferentially and further having a seal formed at a top of the garment removed from the foot, wherein the garment comprises a plurality of air pockets which are fluidly inter-coupled; a pump fluidly coupled to the garment, the pump being configured to intermittently remove air interspaced between the garment and the foot whereby the garment is collapsible from an open shape sized for receiving the foot into a collapsed shape against the foot in an air-tight manner when the interspaced air is removed such that each successive air pocket farther from the foot exerts a relatively lower pressure upon the foot and/or a portion of a leg creating a pressure gradient; a supple air-porous layer disposed at least partially between the air-impermeable layer and the foot, the air-porous layer being configured for facilitating movement of the air interspaced between the foot and the air-impermeable layer; and a wicking layer disposed at least partially between the air-impermeable layer and the foot, the wicking layer wicking moisture away from the foot. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification