Wound mapping system
First Claim
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1. A system for monitoring surface changes in a skin wound over time, the system comprising:
- a wound dressing including a two-dimensional array of test electrodes for application to the surface of the wound,a circuit electrically coupled to the two-dimensional array of test electrodes, the circuit for measuring an electrical characteristic of tissue immediately underlying each test electrode, said circuit comprising;
a switching device for selecting successive test electrodes, andan analyser for passing an electrical alternating current between each selected test electrode and at least one further electrode applied to the skin at a location away from the wound,said analyser further calculating the electrical characteristic of the tissue immediately under each currently selected test electrode as a function of the voltage difference between the currently selected test electrode and at least one reference electrode, adjacent to the currently selected test electrode, the voltage difference being measured while passing the electrical alternating current between each currently selected test electrode and the at least one further electrode; and
a display device electrically coupled to the analyser, the display device for presenting a visual map generated using analyser circuitry of said analyser, the map indicating the size and shape of the wound based upon the measured electrical characteristic.
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Abstract
A tissue mapping system comprising a two dimensional array of test electrodes 10 for application to the surface of tissue under investigation and circuit means 50-66 for measuring an electrical characteristic of the tissue underlying each test electrode. In one embodiment the electrical characteristics is the impedance of the tissue underlying each test electrode.
50 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring surface changes in a skin wound over time, the system comprising:
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a wound dressing including a two-dimensional array of test electrodes for application to the surface of the wound, a circuit electrically coupled to the two-dimensional array of test electrodes, the circuit for measuring an electrical characteristic of tissue immediately underlying each test electrode, said circuit comprising; a switching device for selecting successive test electrodes, and an analyser for passing an electrical alternating current between each selected test electrode and at least one further electrode applied to the skin at a location away from the wound, said analyser further calculating the electrical characteristic of the tissue immediately under each currently selected test electrode as a function of the voltage difference between the currently selected test electrode and at least one reference electrode, adjacent to the currently selected test electrode, the voltage difference being measured while passing the electrical alternating current between each currently selected test electrode and the at least one further electrode; and a display device electrically coupled to the analyser, the display device for presenting a visual map generated using analyser circuitry of said analyser, the map indicating the size and shape of the wound based upon the measured electrical characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of monitoring surface changes in a skin wound over time, the method comprising:
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applying a dressing to the wound, the dressing including a two-dimensional array of test electrodes applied to the surface of the wound; measuring an electrical characteristic of tissue immediately underlying each test electrode by selecting successive test electrodes, passing an electrical alternating current between each selected test electrode and a further electrode applied to the skin at a location away from the wound, and calculating the electrical characteristic of the tissue immediately under each currently selected test electrode as a function of the voltage difference between the currently selected test electrode and at least one reference electrode adjacent to the currently selected test electrode, the voltage difference being measured while passing the electrical alternating current between each currently selected test electrode and the at least one further electrode; and presenting a visual map indicating the size and shape of the wound based upon the measured electrical characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification