NPWT Connector with Vent Lumen for Secondary Wound Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary wound sites in negative pressure wound therapy systems often experience stalled fluid/exudate due to the lack of introduction of secondary pressure, which hinders effective exudate removal.
Innovation Solution
A connector with a first section for delivering reduced pressure and a second section with a filtered vent lumen to introduce secondary pressure from the atmosphere, ensuring both reduced and secondary pressures are applied to primary and secondary wound sites, respectively, facilitating exudate removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single reduced pressure source is used to treat multiple wound sites, then device complexity is reduced, but exudate removal efficiency deteriorates at secondary wound sites due to lack of secondary pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is segmented into multiple sections, each with dedicated lumens for reduced pressure and secondary pressure. This allows independent pressure delivery to different wound sites while using a single pump unit, resolving the contradiction between device simplicity and treatment effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The single pump unit is made multi-functional by incorporating both reduced pressure and secondary pressure delivery capabilities through the multi-lumen connector system. This allows one device to perform multiple functions (treating primary and secondary wound sites differently) without increasing the number of pressure sources.
2Productivity
If secondary pressure is introduced to all wound sites, then exudate removal is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for multiple pressure sources
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-lumen connector acts as an intermediary device that receives output from a single pump and distributes both reduced pressure and secondary pressure to appropriate wound sites. This mediator enables complex pressure delivery without requiring multiple complex pressure sources.
3Productivity
If filtered vent lumen is added to connector, then secondary pressure delivery is enabled, but connector complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filtered vent lumen is merged into the existing connector structure, combining multiple functions (reduced pressure delivery, secondary pressure delivery, and air filtration) into a single integrated component. This reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate components for each function.
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 connector effectively enhances exudate removal by providing controlled secondary pressure to secondary wound sites, preventing stagnation and improving the overall efficiency of the negative pressure wound therapy system.
Implementation Method 1
the vent lumen being in fluid communication with an atmosphere surrounding the connector for delivering secondary pressure from the atmosphere to the secondary wound site through the vent lumen
Data Source
AI summary
A connector for a NPWT system includes a first section and a second section. The first section has a first reduced pressure lumen and a first secondary pressure lumen for delivering reduced pressure from a pump unit to a primary wound site through the reduced pressure lumen and secondary pressure from the pump unit to the primary wound site through the first secondary pressure lumen. The second section has a second reduced pressure lumen and a vent lumen with the second reduced pressure lumen being in fluid communication with the first reduced pressure lumen of the first section for delivering reduced pressure from the pump unit to a secondary wound site through the second reduced pressure lumen and the vent lumen being in fluid communication with the atmosphere for delivering secondary pressure from the atmosphere to the secondary wound site through the vent lumen.