Wound dressing with micropump

Abstract

A composite wound dressing apparatus promotes healing of a wound via the use of a micropump system. The micropump system includes a micropump that applies a subatmospheric pressure to the wound to effectively draw wound fluid or exudate away from the wound bed, or deliver fluids to the wound bed, without the need for a cumbersome external pressure (e.g. vacuum) source. Hence, the wound dressing and micropump system is portable which allows the patient mobility that is unavailable when an external vacuum source is used.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for treating an open wound, and, more specifically, relates to a wound dressing with a micropump adapted for both introducing fluids into and evacuating fluids from a wound to facilitate the wound healing process.BACKGROUND[0002]Wound closure involves the migration of epithelial and subcutaneous tissue adjacent the wound towards the center of the wound until the wound closes. Unfortunately, closure is difficult with large wounds or wounds that have become infected. In such wounds, a zone of stasis (i.e. an area in which localized swelling of tissue restricts the flow of blood to the tissues) forms near the surface of the wound. Without sufficient blood flow, the epithelial and subcutaneous tissues surrounding the wound not only receive diminished oxygen and nutrients, but, are also less able to successfully fight microbial infection and, thus, are less able to close naturally. Such wounds have presented diffi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In a preferred embodiment, the micropump is low cost and disposable which can reduce infection transmission. Furthermore, the preferred micropump dressing system can remove fluid from the wound using a reduced pressure (less than atmospheric pressure, i.e. a vacuum) but can also micropump the fluid to an accumulation device under positive pressure (greater than atmospheric pressure).

[0015]Unlike other types of wound vacuum systems, the configuration of the system disclosed eliminates the use of “fluid traps” which can become filled and thus contaminate the reusable motorized micropumps associated therewith. Such systems also must be shut down in order to drain the trap. The positive pressure wound fluid accumulation devices of the present invention may be replaced without interrupting the wound therapy. Finally, the micropump dressing systems are significantly smaller than prior art negative pressure therapy devices, less complicated, and quiet. This allows for greater patient comfort and easy ambulation for those patients that are capable.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, closure is difficult with large wounds or wounds that have become infected.

Without sufficient blood flow, the epithelial and subcutaneous tissues surrounding the wound not only receive diminished oxygen and nutrients, but, are also less able to successfully fight microbial infection and, thus, are less able to close naturally.

Such wounds have presented difficulties to medical personnel for many years.

For example, skin ulcers are a common problem among many diabetics, and are often brought on by poor blood circulation and nerve damage associated with diabetes and / or vascular disease.

Furthermore, many wounds can become stalled in a “chronic condition” in which further healing does not occur and, in fact, wound may actually increase in size and depth.

Although transparent dressings can “breathe”, they often do not have sufficient moisture vapor transmission rates (MVTR) to allow evaporation of excess wound fluid exudate.

Further they will not optimize the wound healing environment for wounds that tend to remain dry.

These dry wounds may be characterized by insufficient blood flow to the wound bed.

Finally, since the entire system operates at reduced pressure it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to remove a wound fluid sample for analysis without interrupting therapy.

These systems are generally large and may not be easily portable.

This appears fundamentally impossible with the arrangement disclosed.

A further problem with the composite dressing design disclosed in US Patent Publication No. 2007 / 0078366 is that many (or perhaps most) wounds that require vacuum therapy can generate large volumes of fluid.

For many wounds this could require frequent changes which is inconvenient, unnecessarily exposes the healthcare worker to body fluids, and requires significantly more labor than current systems which collect the exudate into a canister.

Images