Multilayered Burn Wound Pad with Conduit Layer for Targeted Temperature Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Targeted Temperature Management (TTM) systems are not suitable for treating burn victims as adhering TTM pads to their wounds can exacerbate injuries, despite the potential benefits of cooling tissues to prevent further damage.
Innovation Solution
Development of TTM systems, pads, and methods featuring a multilayered pad with a conduit layer, impermeable film, and a sterile, thermally conductive wound-healing layer, including hydrogels and antimicrobial agents, designed for non-adherent application on burn wounds to promote healing without aggravating them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If TTM pads are adhered to burn wounds to maintain therapeutic body temperature, then temperature management effectiveness is improved, but wound aggravation and further tissue damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The pad is divided into distinct functional layers: a non-adherent contact layer for wound protection, an intermediate layer for fluid management, and a TTM layer with conduits for temperature control. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without causing wound damage while maintaining therapeutic temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
A sterile, thermally conductive wound-healing layer is introduced as an intermediary between the TTM pad and the burn wound. This intermediate layer provides thermal conduction for effective temperature management while simultaneously protecting the wound from mechanical damage and adhesion, thus resolving the contradiction between temperature effectiveness and wound protection.
2Temperature
If TTM pads are adhered to ensure sufficient contact, then temperature management efficacy is improved, but sterility maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The wound-healing layer is pre-sterilized and packaged in a sterile state before use. The pad design includes a backing that maintains sterility until the moment of application, allowing the sterile layer to be exposed only when needed. This preliminary preparation ensures sterility is maintained throughout storage and handling while enabling effective temperature management upon activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pad is designed as a disposable, single-use device with a sterile wound-healing layer that is discarded after one use. This eliminates the need for complex re-sterilization processes and ensures sterility is maintained throughout the product lifecycle, while the non-adherent design prevents contamination during removal.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If antimicrobial agents are added to the wound-healing layer, then infection prevention is improved, but chemical stability during sterilization becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The pad system employs different sterilization methods for different layers based on their chemical stability requirements. The TTM pad components are sterilized using physical methods (ethylene oxide or radiation) that preserve antimicrobial agent integrity, while the sterile wound-healing layer is sterilized using methods appropriate for its material composition. This parameter optimization allows antimicrobial agents to remain effective without compromising chemical stability during sterilization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for effective temperature management of burn wounds without further injury, promoting healing through non-adherent application and the use of antimicrobial agents to mitigate infection, while being chemically stable for sterilization.
Implementation Method 1
circulating temperature-controlled fluid (e.g., cooled fluid) through the TTM pads
Implementation Method 2
a sterile, thermally conductive wound-healing layer over the impermeable film
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are targeted temperature management (“TTM”) systems, pads, and methods thereof for treating burn wounds. A method of a system for TTM can include a pad-connecting step, a pad-placing step, and a fluid-circulating step. The pad-connecting step can include connecting an inlet and an outlet of a pad to a hydraulic system of a control module. The pad can include a multilayered pad body having a conduit layer configured to convey a temperature-controlled fluid provided by the control module. The pad-placing step can include placing the pad on a wounded portion of a patient's body with a sterile, thermally conductive wound-healing layer of the pad body in contact with a burn wound of the wounded portion of the patient's body. The fluid-circulating step can include circulating the temperature-controlled fluid through the conduit layer to cool the wounded portion of the patient's body, thereby treating the wound to promote healing.