Negative-Pressure Dressing With Area Stabilization and Pressure Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing negative-pressure therapy systems lack improvements in components and processes that enhance tissue growth and healing, particularly for wounds and tissue sites with intact skin, while maintaining effective pressure control and reducing waste.

Innovation Solution

A tissue treatment system incorporating a negative-pressure source, distribution components, and a dressing with a tissue interface and cover, equipped with sensors and a controller, to provide controlled negative pressure and optional instillation therapy, utilizing materials like reticulated foam and hydrophilic covers for enhanced tissue growth and fluid management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If negative pressure is applied to promote tissue growth and healing, then tissue growth acceleration and reduced healing time are achieved, but pressure control stability and fluid management effectiveness need improvement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetissue growth accelerationVSAvoidpressure control stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates pressure sensors that continuously monitor the negative pressure applied to the tissue site and provide feedback to a control system. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain stable and consistent negative pressure levels, ensuring reliable pressure control while promoting tissue growth and healing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes a controllable negative pressure source that can dynamically adjust pressure parameters based on treatment requirements and sensor feedback. This ability to change pressure parameters ensures optimal pressure stability throughout the treatment process while maintaining productivity in tissue regeneration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of substance

If reusable components are used to reduce waste, then environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness are improved, but device complexity and sterilization requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaste reductionVSAvoidsterilization requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the therapy system into reusable and disposable components. The negative pressure source, control system, and sensors are designed as reusable components that can be sterilized and reused, while the dressing and other single-use elements are discarded after one use. This segmentation reduces overall waste while managing sterilization complexity for critical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a strategy where certain components are designed for recovery and reuse after proper sterilization, while others are intentionally designed as single-use items to be discarded. This approach balances waste reduction with manageable sterilization requirements for the reusable portions of the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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 system accelerates tissue growth, reduces healing times, and manages fluid effectively, while being adaptable to various tissue sites and reducing waste through reusable components.

Implementation Method 1

reducing pressure in proximity to a tissue site can augment and accelerate growth of new tissue at the tissue site

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

utilizing materials like reticulated foam and hydrophilic covers for enhanced tissue growth and fluid management

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

utilizing materials like reticulated foam and hydrophilic covers for enhanced tissue growth and fluid management

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrophilic absorption: Hydrophile

Data Source

PatentEP3946499B1Negative-pressure treatment with area stabilization
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES CO
  • EP3946499B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3946499B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3946499B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a tissue site of a patient may include a tissue interface, a cover, an aperture in the cover, and a sealing member. The tissue interface may have an anatomical shape configured to cover the tissue site. The cover may be configured to cover the tissue interface. The aperture in the cover may be fluidly coupled to the tissue interface. The sealing member may be configured to seal the cover to the patient, wherein the cover and the sealing member are configured to cooperate to form a sealed chamber containing the tissue interface. The tissue interface may be coupled to a source of negative pressure, which can be delivered to the tissue interface for distribution to the tissue site. The source of negative pressure may be coupled to the cover of the apparatus.