Wound cleansing apparatus in-situ

• US 20070167926A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Inventors: Lee-Webb, Julian, Nicolini, Derek, Greener, Bryan, Blott, Patrick, Hartwell, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,964,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/304
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0206 with absorbent fibrous layers, e.g. woven or non-woven absorbent pads or island dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0213 the fluid retention member being a layer of hydrocolloid, gel forming material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0259 characterised by the release liner covering the skin adhering layer
• 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: A61F 2013/00357 implanted wound fillings or covers membranes for covering bone defects A61F2/2846
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/75 Intermittent or pulsating suction A61M1/63, A61M1/772 take precedence
• 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 1/772 operating alternately
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/81 Piston pumps, e.g. syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/82 Membrane pumps, e.g. bulbs
• 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 1/962 having pumping means on the suction site, e.g. miniature pump on dressing or dressing capable of exerting suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/985 the dressing itself forming the collection container
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/075 Bulb type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/106 reciprocating
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7518 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• 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 3/0216 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/022 : Volume; Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0229 : Devices operating in a closed circuit, i.e. recycling the irrigating fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/30 : Gas therapy for therapeutic treatment of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

An apparatus for cleansing wounds, in which irrigant fluid from a reservoir connected to a conformable wound dressing and wound exudate from the dressing are recirculated by a device for moving fluid through a flow path which passes through the dressing and a means for fluid cleansing and back to the dressing, and in which the cleansing means sits in the wound in use. The cleansing means (which may be a single-phase, e.g. micro-filtration, system or a two-phase, e.g. dialytic system) removes materials deleterious to wound healing, and the cleansed fluid, still containing materials that are beneficial in promoting wound healing, is returned to the wound bed. Also, the dressing and a method of treatment using the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleansing wounds, comprising

a conformable wound dressing, having

a backing layer which is capable of forming a relatively fluid-tight seal or closure over a wound and

characterised in that it also comprises

a) a cleansing means for selectively removing materials that are deleterious to wound healing from wound exudate, which means is under the backing layer and sits in the underlying wound in use and

b) a moving device for moving fluid within the cleansing means, and

c) optionally bleed means for bleeding the cleansing means.

2. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 1, characterised in that it is a single-phase system in which the fluid that is moved through the means for fluid cleansing is wound exudate optionally mixed with an irrigant which passes into, through and out of the cleansing means back to the wound bed.

3. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 1, characterised in that it is a multiple-phase system in which the means for fluid cleansing comprises a chamber containing a cleansing fluid separated from the wound exudate by means of a permeable integer, and the cleansing fluid and/or the wound exudate optionally mixed with irrigant is/are moved through the means for fluid cleansing by the device for moving fluid.

4. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 1, characterised in that it is operated as a circulating system, in which the relevant fluid passes through the cleansing means one or more times in only one direction.

5. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 1, characterised in that it is operated as a reversing system, in which the relevant fluid passes through the cleansing means at least once in opposing directions.

6. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 3, characterised in that the moving fluid is only the cleansing fluid.

7. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 3, characterised in that the moving fluids are the cleansing fluid and the wound exudate optionally mixed with irrigant.

8. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 3, characterised in that the permeable integer is selectively permeable to materials deleterious to wound healing in the wound exudate.

9. An apparatus for cleansing wounds according to claim 3, characterised in that the permeable integer is not an integer selectively permeable to materials deleterious to wound healing and that in the cleansing fluid, or in one or more solid integers with at least one surface in contact with the cleansing fluid, in the means for fluid cleansing, there are one or more materials that can remove materials deleterious to wound healing in the wound exudate.

10. A method of treating wounds to promote wound healing using the apparatus for cleansing wounds of claim 1.