Enclosure-based reduced pressure treatment system
First Claim
1. A method of treating an extremital portion of a human body, such method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a flexible enclosure having an opening over the extremital portion of the body to be treated, wherein the enclosure is sized to be placed over and completely enclose the extremital portion of the body to be treated and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the extremital portion of the body to be treated, and wherein the extremital portion of the body to be treated is selected from the group consisting of an arm, a leg, and any extremital regions thereof;
sealing the area of the enclosure adjacent to the opening to the body, so that reduced pressure may be maintained in the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated;
operably connecting the enclosure with a vacuum system for producing reduced pressure in the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated, such that application of reduced pressure causes substantially all of the enclosure to deform to substantially conform to a majority of the contours of the extremital portion of the body to be treated;
removing fluid from the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated via the application of reduced pressure;
storing fluid removed from the volume under the enclosure in a collection system; and
maintaining the reduced pressure under the enclosure at the portion of the body being treated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reduced pressure treatment appliance is provided for enclosing and providing reduced pressure treatment to a portion of a body of a patient. The reduced pressure treatment appliance may be used to treat wounds and other conditions, such as lymphedema, varicose veins, venous insufficiency and stasis, and other infirmities. In some embodiments, the appliance comprises an enclosure that encloses the portion of the body to be treated for purposes of applying a reduced pressure to the enclosed portion of the body. In other embodiments, the wound treatment appliance also includes a vacuum system to supply reduced pressure to the portion of the body to be treated in the volume under the enclosure. In yet other embodiments, the treatment appliance also includes wound packing means to prevent overgrowth of the wound or to encourage growth of wound tissue into an absorbable matrix comprising the wound packing means. In still other embodiments, a suction bulb may be used to provide a source of reduced pressure to an enclosure that encloses the portion of the body to be treated. Finally, methods are provided for using various embodiments of the treatment appliance.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of treating an extremital portion of a human body, such method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a flexible enclosure having an opening over the extremital portion of the body to be treated, wherein the enclosure is sized to be placed over and completely enclose the extremital portion of the body to be treated and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the extremital portion of the body to be treated, and wherein the extremital portion of the body to be treated is selected from the group consisting of an arm, a leg, and any extremital regions thereof; sealing the area of the enclosure adjacent to the opening to the body, so that reduced pressure may be maintained in the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated; operably connecting the enclosure with a vacuum system for producing reduced pressure in the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated, such that application of reduced pressure causes substantially all of the enclosure to deform to substantially conform to a majority of the contours of the extremital portion of the body to be treated; removing fluid from the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated via the application of reduced pressure; storing fluid removed from the volume under the enclosure in a collection system; and maintaining the reduced pressure under the enclosure at the portion of the body being treated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of treating an extremital portion of a human body, such method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a flexible enclosure having an opening over the portion of the body to be treated, wherein the enclosure is sized to be placed over and completely enclose the portion of the body to be treated, wherein the enclosure is adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the portion of the body to be treated and configured to substantially completely deform to substantially conform to a majority of the contours of the portion of the body to be treated, and wherein the portion of the body to be treated is selected from the group consisting of an arm, a leg, and any extremital regions thereof; operably connecting the enclosure with a vacuum system for producing reduced pressure in the volume under the enclosure; sealing the area of the enclosure adjacent the opening to the body, so that reduced pressure may be maintained in the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated; applying reduced pressure to the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated such that fluid may be removed therefrom; and storing fluid removed from the volume under the enclosure in a collection system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of treating an extremital portion of a human body, such method comprising the steps of:
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operably connecting an enclosure having an opening with a vacuum system, wherein the enclosure is sized to be placed over and completely enclose the portion of the body to be treated, the enclosure is configured to substantially completely deform to substantially conform to a majority of the contours of the portion of the body to be treated and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the portion of the body to be treated, and the vacuum system produces reduced pressure for the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated; positioning the enclosure over the portion of the body to be treated, wherein the portion of the body to be treated is selected from the group consisting of an arm, a leg, and any extremital regions thereof; sealing the area of the enclosure adjacent to the opening to the body, so that reduced pressure may be maintained in the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated; removing fluid from the volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated with the vacuum system; storing fluid removed from the volume under the enclosure in a collection system; and applying the reduced pressure under the enclosure at the portion of the body being treated. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification