Wound treatment apparatus with exudate volume reduction by heat

• US 9,956,327 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Inventors: Hartwell, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Kidwell, Michele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TREYGER, ILYA Y
• Application Number:
  US14/731,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20150343122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/732 Visual indicating means for vacuum pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/734 Visual indicating means for flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/78 Means for preventing overflow or contamination of the pumping systems combined with drainage containers A61M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/782 using valves with freely moving parts, e.g. float valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/784 by filtering, sterilising or disinfecting the exhaust air, e.g. swellable filter valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/79 Filters for solid matter specially adapted for dental use A61C17/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/84 Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• 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 1/884 Draining devices provided with means for filtering out the harmless water content before discarding the drainage container
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/92 with liquid supply means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/94 with gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/966 having a pressure sensor on or near the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/98 Containers specifically adapted for negative pressure wound therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/982 with means for detecting level of collected exudate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/984 portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/21 insensitive to tilting or inclination, e.g. spill-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/36 : related to heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 : by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 : Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/75 : with filters
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus (130) for use in wound therapy of mammals is described, the apparatus (130) comprising: a dressing covering the wound, the dressing being substantially sealed to prevent ingress of ambient atmospheric air to the wound; aspiration means (132) operably connected to a space between the dressing and the wound by an aspiration conduit (142) sealed to the point of entry between wound and dressing against ingress of ambient atmosphere, said conduit (142) being for aspiration of said wound and for removal of fluid from said space between said wound and said dressing; a waste container (148) for receiving aspirated fluid to be discarded operably connected to said aspiration conduit; and heating means (144) for heating said fluid in order to increase the vapor pressure thereof and to cause evaporation to reduce the volume of the fluid in the waste container (148). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the waste fluid is also provided with a sparge gas.

Claims

1. A negative pressure wound therapy apparatus comprising:

a collection canister configured to be in fluid communication with a dressing and a source of negative pressure, wherein the source of negative pressure is configured to be in fluid communication with the dressing, the source of negative pressure further configured to aspirate fluid from the wound, wherein the collection canister is further configured to receive fluid aspirated from the wound;

a weir positioned in the collection canister configured to increase surface area within the collection canister and increase vapor pressure of fluid aspirated from the wound and passed over the weir and to cause at least some of the fluid in the collection canister to evaporate; and

a heating element configured to heat the weir.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the weir is configured to be heated as controlled by a control unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to maintain a predetermined temperature in response to a temperature signal from a sensor within the collection canister.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a dressing configured to cover a wound.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an aspiration conduit for aspiration of the wound and for removal of fluid from the wound.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the collection canister is interposed between the source of negative pressure and the aspiration conduit in operable connection to the wound.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the collection canister is configured so as to permit passage of gaseous vapor but not liquid out of the collection canister.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collection canister comprises an atomizing nozzle, wherein the atomizing nozzle is configured to discharge the aspirated fluid into the collection canister.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an aspiration pump is interposed between the collection canister and the aspiration conduit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising one or more thermocouples or thermistors.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a gas supply.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising one or more pumps.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collection canister comprises a pump configured to remove vapor within the collection canister.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the gas supply is a sparge gas supply.

15. A method for treating a wound comprising:

positioning a dressing over a wound;

reducing the pressure beneath the dressing;

removing wound exudate fluid from the wound;

evaporating the fluid with a weir within the collection canister to reduce the volume of such fluid, wherein the weir is configured to heat the fluid removed from the wound to reduce the volume of the fluid; and

collecting the remaining fluid.

16. The method for treating a wound according to claim 15, further comprising passing a gas through the fluid removed from the wound to reduce the volume of the fluid.

17. The method for treating a wound according to claim 15, further comprising removing fluid vapor with a pump.