System for providing continual drainage in negative pressure wound therapy

• US 8,298,200 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Vess, Mark A., Shah, Chirag B., Braga, Richard M., Swisher, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SU, SUSAN SHAN
• Application Number:
  US12/475,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20100305524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 604313-316, 604/324
• US Class Current: 604/313
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/023 wound covering film layers without a fluid retention layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00089 Wound bandages A61F2013/00361 takes precedence;
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00174 possibility of applying pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/784 by filtering, sterilising or disinfecting the exhaust air, e.g. swellable filter valves
• 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 1/86 Connectors between drainage tube and handpiece, e.g. drainage tubes detachable from handpiece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/88 Draining devices having means for processing the drained fluid, e.g. an absorber for liposuction A61M1/892
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/912 Connectors between dressing and drainage tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/964 having venting means on or near the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/98 Containers specifically adapted for negative pressure wound therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7518 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7536 allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes

Abstract

A system for subatmospheric pressure therapy in connection with healing a wound is provided. The system includes a wound dressing cover dimensioned for positioning relative to a wound bed of a subject to establish a reservoir over the wound bed in which subatmospheric pressure may be maintained, a subatmospheric pressure mechanism including, a housing, a vacuum source disposed in the housing, and a collection canister in fluid communication with the vacuum source. The system further includes an exudate conduit in fluid communication with the wound dressing and the collection canister for collecting exudate removed from the reservoir and deposited in the collection canister under influence of the vacuum source and a vent conduit in fluid communication with the collection canister and the wound dressing for introducing air into the reservoir to facilitate flow of exudate through the exudate conduit.

Claims

1. A system for subatmospheric pressure wound therapy comprising:

a wound packing material configured to be disposed in a wound bed of a subject;

a wound dressing cover dimensioned for positioning relative to the wound bed to establish a reservoir over the wound bed in which subatmospheric pressure may be maintained;

a subatmospheric pressure mechanism including;

a vacuum source; and

a collection canister in fluid communication with the vacuum source;

a wound port operatively connectable to the wound dressing cover, the wound port including;

a vacuum port fluidly connectable to the reservoir;

at least one tube extending through the wound port into the reservoir, at least a portion of the at least one tube disposed in the wound packing material, the at least one tube being operable to allow a flow of air into the reservoir; and

an exudate conduit in fluid communication with the vacuum port of the wound port and the collection canister, the exudate conduit independent of the at least one tube.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube has a filter at one end and a puncturing tip at another end thereof.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the tube further comprises a valve operable to control the flow of air into the reservoir.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the valve is a needle valve.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the tube further comprises a luer connector operable to connect the tube to a fluid source.

6. The system according to claim 1, including a needle, the needle being positionable within the tube and being operable to obtain a sample from the wound.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one tube has a puncturing tip configured to pierce through the wound dressing cover.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube comprises a plurality of tubes, each of the plurality of tubes extending through the wound port into the reservoir.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of tubes has a puncturing tip configured to pierce through the wound dressing cover.