Fluid Bridge With Foam Manifold for Vertical Compression Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tissue treatment systems face challenges in maintaining effective negative pressure at tissue sites, especially when the site is difficult to access or under compression, leading to reduced therapeutic efficacy and patient discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A fluid bridge system with a support manifold made of felted open-cell foam, which maintains an enclosed fluid pathway and minimizes pressure drop across its length, even when used vertically and under compression, ensuring consistent negative pressure delivery to the tissue site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fluid bridge is used to transfer negative pressure to a tissue site, then negative-pressure therapy can be applied to difficult-to-access locations, but pressure drop across the length of the fluid bridge reduces therapeutic efficacy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous foam support manifold within the fluid bridge to maintain structural integrity and support the envelope while minimizing pressure drop. The porous structure allows fluid passage while providing mechanical strength, enabling the fluid bridge to maintain effective negative pressure delivery over its length without collapsing under compression or vertical orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid bridge combines multiple materials including an impermeable envelope material, a porous foam support manifold, and potentially other layers to create a composite structure that simultaneously provides fluid impermeability, structural support, and minimal pressure drop characteristics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the fluid bridge is used in vertical orientation or under compression, then therapy can be applied to leg and foot wounds, but the weight and compression cause collapse of the fluid bridge structure
Solution Approach 1:
The porous foam support manifold provides compressive strength and structural support to the fluid bridge envelope, preventing collapse when the device is used in vertical orientation or under compression garments. The foam structure distributes compressive forces throughout the device while maintaining the enclosed fluid pathway.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent describes embodiments where the fluid bridge is curved or bent to conform to the contours of body parts such as legs and feet. This curvature allows the device to adapt to difficult-to-access wound locations while the foam support maintains structural integrity under the resulting stresses.
3Reliability
If compression therapy is applied to leg wounds, then venous disease symptoms are reduced, but the compression garment prevents effective negative pressure delivery to the tissue site
Solution Approach 1:
The porous foam support manifold enables the fluid bridge to maintain its shape and enclosed fluid pathway under compression garments, allowing negative pressure to be delivered through the compression layer to the tissue site without being completely blocked by the external compression force.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid bridge acts as an intermediary device that interfaces between the compression garment and the tissue site, allowing negative pressure to be transmitted through the compression layer. The device enables both compression therapy and negative-pressure therapy to work together synergistically.
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 fluid bridge system effectively maintains at least 75 mmHg negative pressure at the tissue site, reducing pressure drop and enhancing therapeutic outcomes while allowing for both negative-pressure and compression therapy to be applied simultaneously, thus improving wound healing and patient comfort.
Implementation Method 1
the foam may be felted to a firmness factor of 2-5 or 3-5... capable of resisting compressive effects
Implementation Method 2
maintains an enclosed fluid pathway and minimizes pressure drop across its length, even when used vertically and under compression
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments may relate to a fluid bridge configured to facilitate negative -pressure therapy when used in a vertical orientation and/or under compression, and to systems and methods related thereto. In some embodiments, the fluid bridge may comprise an open-cell foam support manifold within an envelope. The support manifold may be configured to reduce negative-pressure drop across the length of the fluid bridge and/or to maintain therapeutic levels of negative pressure, for example despite vertical orientation and/or use under a compression garment.