Multi-modal Wound Therapy Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wound care treatments, such as negative pressure therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, are inefficient and costly due to their separate application methods, lack of portability, and difficulty in sterilization, especially for patients with vascular disorders, and they do not effectively address biofilm formation which impairs wound healing.
Innovation Solution
A portable device that combines negative pressure and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, along with a self-sterilization system and supplemental fluid delivery, allowing for simultaneous application of both therapies and effective biofilm disruption using hypochlorous acid, facilitating efficient wound treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If negative pressure therapy is applied to promote wound healing, then wound drainage and debridement are improved, but hypoxic environment is created at the wound site which impairs healing in patients with vascular disorders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines negative pressure therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy into a single integrated system. The negative pressure component provides wound drainage and debridement, while the hyperbaric oxygen component delivers high-concentration oxygen to counteract the hypoxic environment created by negative pressure, thereby resolving the contradiction between effective wound clearance and maintenance of adequate oxygenation for healing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts oxygen concentration and pressure parameters to compensate for the hypoxic conditions. By delivering hyperbaric oxygen (high pressure, high concentration) during or after negative pressure application, the system changes the oxygen partial pressure parameter to overcome the hypoxic effect, enabling effective healing even in patients with vascular disorders.
2Reliability
If hyperbaric oxygen therapy is delivered through full-body or extremity chambers, then oxygenation of wound tissue is improved, but portability and sterilization difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hyperbaric oxygen delivery system into a portable, localized unit that can be applied directly to the wound site rather than requiring full-body or extremity chambers. This segmentation enables the system to maintain therapeutic oxygenation while significantly improving portability and ease of sterilization, as the localized device is smaller, lighter, and can be more easily disassembled and sterilized between patients.
3Adaptability or versatility
If negative pressure dressing is removed and reapplied when switching between therapies, then treatment modality can be changed, but treatment time increases and wound exposure to contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges negative pressure therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy into a single integrated apparatus that can deliver both therapies through the same wound dressing. This eliminates the need to remove and reapply dressings when switching between treatment modalities, as the system can transition between negative pressure mode, hyperbaric oxygen mode, or combined mode without disrupting the dressing seal, thereby reducing treatment time and contamination risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different therapy modes (negative pressure, hyperbaric oxygen, or combined) without requiring physical changes to the dressing assembly. The controller enables real-time mode transitions by adjusting pressure and oxygen delivery parameters, allowing versatile treatment adaptation while maintaining continuous wound coverage and minimizing exposure time.
4Ease of operation
If separate portable vacuum pumps are rented or purchased for negative pressure therapy, then negative pressure treatment can be provided, but cumulative costs significantly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal apparatus that performs multiple wound therapy functions (negative pressure therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and combined therapy) in a single device. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to rent or purchase separate portable vacuum pumps for negative pressure therapy, as the same apparatus delivers both negative pressure and hyperbaric oxygen capabilities, thereby significantly reducing cumulative costs while maintaining ease of operation.
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 device provides a cost-effective, portable, and efficient method for delivering multiple wound therapies, enhancing wound healing by creating a controlled environment that reduces biofilm formation and promotes tissue oxygenation, thereby improving wound closure and reducing treatment time and costs.
Implementation Method 1
Negative pressure therapy is the controlled application of sub-atmospheric pressure to a wound using a therapy unit, such as a vacuum or suction device
Implementation Method 2
hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the controlled application of oxygen to a wound at greater-than-atmospheric pressures
Data Source
AI summary
The wound treatment apparatus combines an internal negative pressure (vacuum) pump and an internal positive pressure (compressor) pump connectable to an external oxygen supply for providing both negative pressure wound therapy and hyperbaric oxygen wound therapy to a wound site. The apparatus also includes a user interface operatively connected to an electronic controller that monitors and actuates the vacuum and compressor pumps. The user interface and controller enables the apparatus to provide multiple modes of operation and the ability to selectively change between negative pressure therapy operational modes and hyperbaric oxygen operational modes.