Wound care method and system with one or both of vacuum-light therapy and thermally augmented oxygenation

• US 8,142,486 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Inventors: Quisenberry, Tony, Balachandran, Niran
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III, Henry M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIPITZ, JEFFREY BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US13/190,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 607 88- 90, 128/898
• US Class Current: 607/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0295 for heating or cooling or use at more than one temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0296 Intervals of heating alternated with intervals of cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/143 with oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0103 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/50 Control means thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/14 Devices for gas baths with ozone, hydrogen, or the like production of ozone or hydrogen C01B, C25B1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/30 Gas therapy for therapeutic treatment of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0645 Applicators worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0649 using suction to fix the applicator to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/00 Radiation therapy ultrasound therapy A61N7/00; devices or apparatus applicable to both therapy and diagnosis A61B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 : Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 : for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body

Abstract

A system for treatment of a wound area of a patient including a first treatment pad comprising a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for cleaning and exposing a wound area to ultraviolet light, a second treatment pad comprising removal ports for exposing the wound area to a negative pressure, and a control unit interoperably connected to the first and second treatment pads for providing a negative pressure and the ultraviolet light to the wound area.

Claims

1. A method of treating a wound area of a patient, comprising:

providing a first pad comprising;

a plurality of fiber-optic strands coupled to a plurality of light-emitting diodes, the plurality of fiber-optic strands comprising a plurality of fiber-optic strand ends arranged in an array on an underside of the first pad; and

a plurality of removal ports in fluid communication with a collection chamber, a vacuum pump, and at least one first tube;

providing a second pad comprising;

a bladder in fluid communication with at least one of a heat-transfer fluid reservoir and a thermoelectric element via a fluid pump and a plurality of second tubes, the bladder and the plurality of second tubes defining a circuitous first flow path for a heat-transfer fluid; and

a plurality of tubular connections in fluid communication with an oxygen source thereby defining a second flow path that provides oxygen to the wound area;

wherein the first pad and the second pad are coupled to a processing unit, the processing unit capable of controlling the light-emitting diodes, the vacuum pump, the thermoelectric element, and the fluid pump as follows;

exposing the wound area to ultraviolet light via the plurality of fiber-optic strand ends thereby cleaning the wound area;

exposing the wound area to negative pressure via the plurality of removal ports thereby cleaning the wound area;

circulating the heat-transfer fluid through the circuitous first flow path after said exposing the wound area to ultraviolet light and said exposing the wound area to negative pressure;

increasing a temperature of the wound area above a body temperature of the patient via the heat transfer fluid;

oxygenating the wound area via the plurality of tubular connections within the second pad after said increasing the temperature of the wound area; and

simultaneous to said oxygenating, decreasing the temperature of the wound area below the body temperature of the patient via the heat transfer fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

controlling, via the processing unit, a duration of the ultraviolet light emitted from the plurality of light-emitting diodes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, via an air bladder disposed in the second pad, compression therapy to the wound area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising securing the second pad to the wound area via an adhesive border disposed around a perimeter of the second pad.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said oxygenating comprises supplying oxygen-rich air to the wound area.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating the oxygen-rich air via an oxygen concentrator.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the oxygen-rich air comprises approximately 93% oxygen.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said oxygenating occurs at a pressure of approximately 1 to approximately 2 atmospheres.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said warming comprises warming the heat-transfer fluid to a temperature approximately 5 to approximately 6 degrees above the body temperature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said increasing the temperature of the wound area occurs for approximately 15 to approximately 30 minutes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said decreasing the temperature of the wound area comprises cooling the heat-transfer fluid to a temperature approximately 30 to approximately 40 degrees below the body temperature.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said decreasing the temperature of the wound area occurs for approximately 30 to approximately 45 minutes.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said exposing the wound area to negative pressure removes dead tissue from the wound area.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said exposing the wound area to ultraviolet light destroys infectious bacteria within the wound area.

15. A method of treating a wound area of a patient, comprising:

providing a first pad comprising a plurality of fiber-optic strands and a plurality of removal ports;

coupling the first pad to a processing unit capable of controlling a vacuum pump fluidly coupled to the plurality of removal ports, a plurality of light-emitting diodes coupled to the plurality of fiber-optic strands, a thermoelectric element, and a compression pump;

exposing the wound area to ultraviolet light via the plurality of fiber-optic strands thereby cleaning the wound area;

exposing the wound area to negative pressure via the plurality of removal ports thereby cleaning the wound area;

coupling a second pad to the processing unit capable of controlling the vacuum pump, the plurality of light-emitting diodes, the thermoelectric element, and the compression pump;

providing at least one of thermal therapy and oxygenation to a wound area via the second pad;

increasing a temperature of the wound area above a body temperature of the patient via the second pad;

oxygenating the wound area via the second pad, wherein said oxygenating occurring after said increasing;

decreasing the temperature of the wound area below the body temperature of the patient via the second pad; and

wherein said oxygenating overlaps in time, at least in part, with said decreasing.