Flexible Enclosure for Reduced Pressure Wound Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current reduced pressure wound treatment systems are limited in their ability to treat large areas of the body effectively, lack flexibility to adapt to varying body shapes, and do not efficiently manage fluid aspiration, while also being cumbersome and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A flexible reduced pressure treatment appliance that encloses and treats entire body portions using a customizable enclosure with integrated sealing and suction systems, allowing for even pressure distribution, fluid management, and visual feedback on pressure loss, constructed from cost-effective materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cover is placed over the wound to create reduced pressure, then the wound treatment effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase when trying to cover entire body portions
Solution Approach 1:
The body portion to be treated is divided into multiple separate enclosure sections, each capable of being independently sealed and pressurized. This allows the system to cover large body areas without requiring a single complex enclosure, thereby maintaining treatment effectiveness while reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure is designed with multiple openings that can seal to various body parts (limbs, torso, etc.), making a single device capable of treating different body portions. This universal design reduces the need for multiple specialized devices, simplifying the overall system while maintaining reliability across different applications
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid enclosure is used to maintain reduced pressure, then pressure stability is improved, but adaptability to body shapes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is constructed from flexible materials that can conform to various body shapes and contours while maintaining the integrity of the sealed environment. This flexibility allows the enclosure to adapt to different body portions without compromising pressure stability, as the flexible material can deform to fit while still maintaining the vacuum seal
3Reliability
If sealing means are applied to seal the opening to the body, then reduced pressure maintenance is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing mechanism incorporates dynamic elements such as adjustable fasteners, clips, or Velcro straps that allow for easy application and removal while maintaining a reliable seal during treatment. The sealing system can be quickly adjusted to fit different body sizes and shapes without requiring complex procedures, thus improving ease of operation while preserving reduced pressure maintenance
4Area of stationary object
If the enclosure covers the entire body portion, then treatment coverage is improved, but fluid aspiration efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Fluid collection channels or conduits are introduced as intermediary elements within the enclosure to efficiently collect and redirect fluids from large body portions to a central collection point. These channels maintain effective fluid aspiration across the entire treated area by providing dedicated pathways for fluid removal, preventing pooling and maintaining treatment productivity
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 appliance facilitates faster healing, improved circulation, and symptom relief for conditions like lymphedema and varicose veins by providing controlled reduced pressure over large areas, adapting to body shape, and efficiently managing fluid aspiration, while being simple to apply and remove.
Implementation Method 1
reduced pressure supply means to operably connect the enclosure to a reduced pressure supply source... so that a volume under the enclosure at the portion of the body to be treated is supplied with reduced pressure
Implementation Method 2
sealing means to seal the opening to the body... The enclosure and the sealing means allow reduced pressure to be maintained in the volume under the enclosure
Data Source
AI summary
A reduced pressure treatment appliance is provided for enclosing and providing reduced pressure treatment to a portion of a body of a patient. The reduced pressure treatment appliance may be used to treat wounds and other conditions, such as lymphedema, varicose veins, venous insufficiency and stasis, and other infirmities. In some embodiments, the appliance comprises an enclosure that encloses the portion of the body to be treated for purposes of applying a reduced pressure to the enclosed portion of the body. In other embodiments, the wound treatment appliance also includes a vacuum system to supply reduced pressure to the portion of the body to be treated in the volume under the enclosure. In yet other embodiments, the treatment appliance also includes wound packing means to prevent overgrowth of the wound or to encourage growth of wound tissue into an absorbable matrix comprising the wound packing means. In still other embodiments, a suction bulb may be used to provide a source of reduced pressure to an enclosure that encloses the portion of the body to be treated. Finally, methods are provided for using various embodiments of the treatment appliance.