Auto-replenishing, wound-dressing apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatus and methods to treat skin defects include a pump with reservoirs for a pressurization gas and a fluid, the fluid loaded at a factory and sealed or filled at point of use through a valve, septum, or the like. Upon activation, the pump generates a gas introduced into the gas reservoir, a movable wall of which displaces a movable wall of a fluid source, thus dispensing the fluid into the dressing to spread throughout irrespective of orientation of the dressing, maintaining a transport fluid (e.g. carrier) in the dressing and in contact with a skin defect being treated. Delivery may be periodic, constant, programmatically controlled, or manual. A dressing may maintain intimate contact, a transport fluid, and a controllable concentration of active ingredient against a skin defect.

Apparatus and methods to replenish a dressing with a therapeutically effective concentration of a fluid deliver a fluid carrier containing an active ingredient. The fluid may be stored in and delivered from a pump mechanism including reservoirs for a pressurization gas and the fluid, which may be loaded at a factory and sealed or filled at point of use through a valve, septum, or the like. The dressing may have a distribution network, and multiple members, dispensing the fluid into a wick maintaining a transport fluid (e.g. carrier) distributed in the dressing and in contact with a skin defect being treated. Delivery may be periodic, constant, programmatically controlled, or manual to maintain intimate contact, a transport fluid, and a controllable concentration of active ingredient against wounded tissue.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is related to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 015,952 entitled “AUTO-REPLENISHING, WOUND-DRESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD” and filed on Feb. 27, 2008 for Sai Bhavarju et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]1. The Field of the Invention[0003]This invention relates to treatment of skin defects, and in particular to control and delivery of treatment substances to a dressing on a skin defect.[0004]2. The Background Art[0005]Skin defects may be inflicted by people, machines, tools, vehicles, animals, plants, the environment, and many other factors. Likewise, pressure, ailments, infections, and disease may create sores, open wounds, and other skin defects. Skin defects may be treated by a variety of physical processes, materials, conditions, controls, and the like, each based on a particular theory, experiment, regimen, or other basis of justification. Meanwhile, skin defects may b...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]In accordance with the foregoing, an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention may include a fluid delivery system that includes a housing with reservoirs for a pressurization gas and sources for a medicament fluid. The fluid may be loaded into a reservoir at a factory and sealed, or may be filled at the point of use through a valve, septum, or the like. Filling the device at the point of use includes the ability to select from fluids containing a variety of appropriate fresh actives or combinations thereof. Point of use or in situ filling has the added advantage of separating the shelf life and handling requirements of the device from the self life and handling requirements of the active. This may also be referred to as In situ filling.

Problems solved by technology

Skin defects may be inflicted by people, machines, tools, vehicles, animals, plants, the environment, and many other factors.

Likewise, pressure, ailments, infections, and disease may create sores, open wounds, and other skin defects.

In treating skin defects, applying a medicament may only solve part of the problem.

Changing a dressing, replenishing a quantity or concentration of a medicament, controlling the access, contact, and concentration of an active ingredient applied to skin defects, and verification of the foregoing are typically difficult to do.

Application of a constant or even reliable or consistent concentration of a medicament is difficult to accomplish, even for a regularly attended patient.

Drying of tissues, blood, or serum may inhibit the action or effectiveness of an active ingredient, and may even block access by an active ingredient to underlying skin defect.

Thus, finding a proper delivery mechanism to consistently, regularly, or constantly apply the right amount of a therapeutically effective active ingredient may be problematic in many instances.

Once a medicament fluid is applied as a salve, liquid, tincture, aspersion, cream, irrigation, or the like, the problem of the concentration of the active ingredient may actually render the application ineffective relatively quickly.

Many medicaments, once applied, have a rapidly decaying, uncontrolled, or ineffective concentration.

Thus the delivered concentration may become inappropriate.

Some dressings e.g. impregnated dressings deliver either below the therapeutic range or above it causing inadequate treatment or side effects and in the case of antibiotics possible resistance.

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