APPURTENANCES TO CAVITY WOUND DRESSINGS

• US 20130274563A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Duesterhoft, Paul, Dykstra, Nicholas, Hawkins, Daniel, Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Schubert, Elizabeth L., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 10,226,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure

Abstract

Appurtenances to cavity wound medical dressings are described. In some embodiments, an appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing includes: a substrate including at least one wound-facing surface, the wound-facing surface configured to be oriented facing a wound surface of a cavity wound; and a plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate, the plurality of sensor units oriented and positioned on the substrate relative to the wound surface of the cavity wound.

Claims

1. An appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing, comprising:

a substrate including at least one wound-facing surface, the wound-facing surface configured to be oriented facing a wound surface of a cavity wound; and

a plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate, the plurality of sensor units oriented and positioned on the substrate relative to the wound surface of the cavity wound.

9. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, wherein

the substrate comprises:

a plurality of unidirectional fluid flow structures, wherein the unidirectional fluid flow structures are configured to allow fluid flow from the wound-facing surface to one or more of the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate.

10. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprise:

a plurality of sensor units of at least two distinct types.

12. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprise:

at least one sensor unit configured to detect physical pressure, at least one sensor unit configured to detect temperature, and at least one sensor unit configured to record an elapsed time value.

13. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprise:

at least one sensor unit configured to detect one or more analytes of wound exudate.

15. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprise:

at least one antenna operably connected to at least one sensor unit.

16. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprise:

at least one chemical-based sensor unit.

19. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprise:

at least one sensor unit including an optically resolvable detection indicator.

25. The appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing of claim 1, comprising:

an edge region of the appurtenance, the edge region including at least one surface configured to be oriented away from the wound and at least one surface configured to be oriented facing a periwound region of the cavity wound; and

at least one temperature sensor unit attached to the edge region.

2-8. -8. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

17-18. -18. (canceled)

20-24. -24. (canceled)

26-27. -27. (canceled)

28. An appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing, comprising:

a plurality of sensor units, wherein each sensor unit includes an attachment region configured to affix to a porous wound dressing material and wherein each sensor unit is configured to be operational when in contact with fluid, is configured to be operational at temperatures between 35 degrees Centigrade and 40 degrees Centigrade, and under physical pressure up to 32 mm Hg; and

the plurality of sensor units in the aggregate of a size and mass to allow for medical use with the porous dressing material at the cavity wound.

29. The appurtenance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of sensor units comprise:

a plurality of sensor units including at least two distinct types of sensor units.

31. The appurtenance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of sensor units comprise:

a plurality of sensor units including at least one sensor unit configured to detect physical pressure, and at least one sensor unit configured to detect temperature, and at least one sensor unit configured to record an elapsed time value.

34. The appurtenance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of sensor units comprise:

at least one antenna operably attached to at least one sensor unit.

35. The appurtenance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of sensor units comprise:

at least one chemical-based sensor unit.

37. The appurtenance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of sensor units comprise:

at least one temperature sensor unit.

38. The appurtenance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of sensor units comprise:

at least one pressure sensor unit.

40. The appurtenance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of sensor units comprise:

at least one sensor unit including an optically resolvable detection indicator.

30. (canceled)

32-33. -33. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

41-43. -43. (canceled)

44. An appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing, comprising:

a substrate including at least one wound-facing surface, the wound-facing surface of a size and shape for positioning within a cavity wound, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of apertures; and

a plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate, each of the plurality of sensor units oriented and positioned on the substrate relative to at least one of the plurality of apertures.

49. The appurtenance of claim 44, wherein the substrate comprises:

an interior region within the substrate, the interior region including one or more of the plurality of sensor units.

50. The appurtenance of claim 44, wherein the substrate comprises:

a plurality of unidirectional fluid flow structures attached to the apertures, wherein the unidirectional fluid flow structures are configured to allow fluid flow from the wound-facing surface to one or more of the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate.

51. The appurtenance of claim 44, wherein the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprises:

a plurality of sensor units of at least two distinct types.

53. The appurtenance of claim 44, wherein the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprises:

a plurality of sensor units including at least one sensor unit configured to detect physical pressure, at least one sensor unit configured to detect temperature, and at least one sensor unit configured to record elapsed time.

55. The appurtenance of claim 44, wherein the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprises:

at least one antenna operably connected to at least one sensor unit.

56. The appurtenance of claim 44, wherein the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprises:

at least one chemical-based sensor unit.

59. The appurtenance of claim 44, wherein the plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate comprises:

at least one sensor unit including an optically resolvable detection indicator.

45-48. -48. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

57-58. -58. (canceled)

60-65. -65. (canceled)

66. An appurtenance for monitoring a cavity wound, comprising:

a substrate configured to associate with a cavity wound dressing;

a transmission unit attached to a surface of the substrate, the transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna operably attached to the circuitry;

a selectively actuatable switch operably connected to the transmission unit; and

one or more sensor units affixed to the substrate and operably connected to the selectively actuatable switch.

73. The appurtenance of claim 66, wherein the transmission unit comprises:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) device.

81. The appurtenance of claim 66, wherein the wherein the selectively actuatable switch comprises:

a physical conduit configured to allow a liquid to flow through the appurtenance to a location in contact with the at least one antenna of the transmission unit.

83. The appurtenance of claim 66, wherein the wherein the selectively actuatable switch is configured as a binary switch.

85. The appurtenance of claim 66, wherein the wherein the selectively actuatable switch is configured to be responsive to a change in capacitance.

89. The appurtenance of claim 66, wherein the wherein the one or more sensor units affixed to the substrate comprise:

at least one antenna operably attached to at least one sensor unit.

93. The appurtenance of claim 66, wherein the wherein the one or more sensor units affixed to the substrate comprise:

at least one sensor unit including an optically resolvable detection indicator.

105. The appurtenance of claim 66, wherein the transmission unit includes a pressure sensitive activation region, wherein the pressure sensitive activation region is configured to be activated by physical pressure on the wound-facing surface of the appurtenance.

67-72. -72. (canceled)

74-80. -80. (canceled)

82. (canceled)

84. (canceled)

86-88. -88. (canceled)

90-92. -92. (canceled)

94-104. -104. (canceled)

106. An appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing, comprising:

a substrate configured to fit substantially within a cavity wound in association with a wound dressing; and

a plurality of sensor units attached to the substrate, each of the sensor units including a detector and an indicator, wherein the indicator includes a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) unit.

107. A system for monitoring a cavity wound medical dressing, comprising:

an appurtenance to a cavity wound dressing, the appurtenance including a substrate and a plurality of sensor units, wherein each of the sensor units include an indicator configured to respond to a specific external signal; and

an external device configured to transmit the specific external signal and detect the response of the indicator included with each of the plurality of sensor units.