Dual-Wavelength Perfusion and Oxygenation Measurement for Pressure Ulcers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting pressure ulcers are subjective, untimely, and lack specificity, leading to untreated inflammation that can develop into full-blown ulcers, and existing equipment cannot accurately measure blood perfusion or oxygenation in tissue layers.
Innovation Solution
Non-invasive methods using dual-wavelength light emission and reception to assess blood perfusion and oxygenation in tissue, followed by anatomy-specific interventions based on measured thresholds, to identify and treat tissue damage before visible skin changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If visual inspection is used to detect pressure ulcers, then the detection method is simple and non-invasive, but the detection is subjective, unreliable, and untimely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual inspection system with an optical measurement system. The device uses light sources to illuminate tissue and optical sensors to detect changes in light properties, substituting subjective visual assessment with objective optical measurements of tissue perfusion and oxygenation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces light as an intermediary substance to detect tissue condition. Light interacts with blood chromophores in the tissue, and the modified light carries information about tissue perfusion and oxygenation to the sensors, enabling indirect measurement of tissue health without direct contact or invasion.
2Reliability
If universal prevention is applied to all patients, then all patients receive treatment, but the treatment is not targeted to specific anatomical sites and resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from uniform universal prevention to localized targeted prevention. The device measures tissue perfusion and oxygenation at specific anatomical sites individually, allowing identification of high-risk locations that require intervention, thereby concentrating resources where they are most needed rather than applying uniform treatment to all areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses changes in optical measurement parameters (light absorption, reflection) to identify tissue at risk. By monitoring perfusion and oxygenation levels at different sites, the system dynamically identifies which anatomical locations require intervention based on their specific physiological state rather than applying blanket prevention to all areas.
3Loss of time
If early detection methods are implemented, then tissue damage can be treated before progression, but existing equipment cannot accurately measure blood perfusion in tissue layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses light as an intermediary to probe tissue layers non-invasively. Light penetrates the skin and interacts with blood chromophores at different depths, allowing measurement of tissue perfusion and oxygenation without surgical intervention or invasive probes, thus enabling early detection while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the dimension of optical wavelength to the measurement process. By using multiple wavelengths of light, the system can differentiate between various tissue components and depths, enabling accurate measurement of blood perfusion in tissue layers through non-invasive optical means rather than relying on single-point or surface-level measurements.
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
Early identification and targeted treatment of tissue damage reduces the incidence and severity of pressure ulcers, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
Implementation Method 1
an emitter configured to emit light at a first wavelength and a second wavelength
Implementation Method 2
a receiver configured to measure an intensity of reflected or transmitted light
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for evaluating the flow of blood in damaged or healing tissue. The present disclosure also provides methods of identifying a patient at the onset of risk of pressure ulcer or at risk of the onset of pressure ulcer, and treating the patient with anatomy-specific clinical intervention selected based on perfusion or blood oxygenation values, or a combination thereof. The present disclosure also provides methods of stratifying groups of patients based on risk of wound development and methods of reducing incidence of tissue damage in a care facility. The present disclosure also provides methods to analyze trends of perfusion or oxygenation measurements to detect tissue damage before it is visible, and methods to compare bisymmetric perfusion values to identify damaged tissue.