Dressing and apparatus for cleansing the wounds

• US 8,105,295 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Inventors: Blott, Patrick Lewis, Hartwell, Edward Yerbury, Lee-Webb, Julian, Nicolini, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): SU, SUSAN SHAN
• Application Number:
  US10/599,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,470 Days
• Field of Search: 604/305, 604/304, 604/315, 604/313
• US Class Current: 604/315
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/05 specially adapted for use with sub-pressure or over-pressure therapy, wound drainage or wound irrigation, e.g. for use with negative-pressure wound therapy [NPWT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/75 Intermittent or pulsating suction A61M1/63, A61M1/772 take precedence
• 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 1/915 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 1/96 Suction control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/962 having pumping means on the suction site, e.g. miniature pump on dressing or dressing capable of exerting suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/964 having venting means on or near the dressing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/00 Devices for applying media, e.g. remedies, on the human body devices for handling toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D; absorbent pads, e.g. swabs, A61F13/15

Abstract

A dressing (2) and an apparatus (1) comprising the dressing, for cleansing the wounds (5) in which an irrigant fluid from a reservoir (12) connected to a conformable would dressing and would exudate from the dressing are moved by a device (18) (which may be a single pump or two pumps) for moving fluid through a flow Path (6, 7, 9, 10) which passes through the dressing with a means for providing simultaneous aspiration and irrigation of the wound, to provide a desired balance of fluid at a controlled nominal flow rate that removes materials deleterious to wound healing, while distributing materials that are beneficial in promoting would healing over the would bed.

Claims

1. A method of treating a wound to promote wound healing, the method comprising:

providing a fluid flow path, the fluid flow path comprising a conformable wound dressing, having a backing layer forming a fluid-tight seal over a wound, the backing layer comprising a wound-facing face, a fluid supply tube, and a fluid offtake tube;

moving fluid from a fluid reservoir through the fluid flow path;

regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid supply tube; and

regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube;

wherein fluid is moved through the fluid flow path to provide simultaneous aspiration and irrigation to the wound; and

wherein fluid moving through the fluid flow path is regulated to hold negative pressure on the wound at a steady level while providing simultaneous aspiration and irrigation to the wound.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein both regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid supply tube and regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube comprise regulating the amount of fluid with a pump.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid supply tube and regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube comprises regulating the amount of fluid with a variable speed pump.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid supply tube and regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube comprises regulating the amount of fluid with a regulator.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the regulator is a valve.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein regulating fluid moving through the fluid flow path to hold negative pressure on the wound at a steady level while providing simultaneous aspiration and irrigation to the wound comprises monitoring negative pressure under the backing layer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting negative pressure in response to monitoring negative pressure under the backing layer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the negative pressure is monitored under the backing layer with a pressure monitor connected to a monitor offtake tube.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube by operating a bleed regulator on a bleed tube connected to the monitor offtake tube.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube comprises operating a bleed regulator connected to the fluid flow path.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid supply tube is independent of regulating the amount of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube.

12. An apparatus for aspirating, irrigating and/or cleansing wounds, comprising:

a backing layer capable of forming a fluid-tight seal over a wound;

a fluid supply tube arranged to provide fluid from a fluid reservoir to the wound;

a fluid offtake tube arranged to withdraw fluid from the wound;

a pump in communication with at least one of the fluid supply tube and the fluid offtake tube and configured to move fluid through at least one of the fluid supply tube and the fluid offtake tube;

a bleed regulator on a bleed tube connected to a monitor offtake tube, the bleed regulator in communication with the fluid offtake tube and configured to regulate the rate of fluid that flows through the fluid offtake tube; and

a pressure monitor connected to the monitor offtake tube and configured to monitor negative pressure under the backing layer;

wherein the apparatus is configured to provide simultaneous aspiration and irrigation to the wound such that fluid may be supplied to the wound from the fluid reservoir via the fluid supply tube while fluid is aspirated through the fluid offtake tube; and

wherein, based on the monitored negative pressure, the bleed regulator is configured to hold negative pressure on the wound at a steady level while simultaneous aspiration and irrigation is provided to the wound.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the bleed regulator is a valve.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pump is in communication with the fluid supply tube and is configured to move fluid through the fluid supply tube.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the bleed regulator comprises a valve configured to vent the wound from atmosphere.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a non-return valve in communication with the fluid supply tube and configured to avoid overpressure on the wound.