Reduced-Pressure Bridge for Limited-Access Tissue Sites
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providing reduced pressure to limited-access tissue sites, such as the bottom sole of a patient's foot or tissue sites under compression garments, has been challenging due to difficulties in accessing and effectively treating these areas.
Innovation Solution
A reduced-pressure bridge system that includes a delivery manifold, an encapsulating envelope with a patient-facing side, and a moisture-removing device, allowing for the transfer of reduced pressure to tissue sites through a second aperture on the patient-facing side, while maintaining comfort and preventing maceration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reduced pressure is applied to limited-access tissue sites, then tissue healing is enhanced, but access to the tissue site becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the treatment into two separate locations: a treatment site at the limited-access tissue location and a remote bridge location. The bridge acts as an intermediate segment that transfers reduced pressure from an easily accessible remote location to the difficult-to-access tissue site, enabling effective treatment without direct access to the tissue location.
Solution Approach 2:
The reduced-pressure bridge serves as an intermediary device that mediates between the reduced-pressure source and the tissue site. It transfers the reduced pressure through a bridge location that is accessible to the patient, allowing the pressure to reach the limited-access tissue site without requiring direct access to that site.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If moisture is removed from the tissue site, then skin maceration is prevented, but patient comfort may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture-removing device is applied locally to specific areas of the bridge that require moisture control, rather than uniformly across the entire bridge. This allows moisture removal where needed to prevent maceration while leaving other areas comfortable for patient contact, creating different functional zones with different properties.
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 effectively delivers reduced pressure to limited-access tissue sites, enhancing tissue healing, reducing moisture accumulation, and improving patient comfort by minimizing pressure points and preventing skin maceration.
Implementation Method 1
providing reduced pressure in proximity to a tissue site augments and accelerates the growth of new tissue at the tissue site
Implementation Method 2
a moisture-removing device on at least a portion of the first encapsulating envelope
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
A reduced-pressure treatment system (100) for applying reduced pressure to a tissue site at a limited access location on a patient includes a reduced-pressure source (120), a treatment manifold (310) for placing proximate the tissue site and operable to distribute reduced pressure to the tissue site, and a sealing member (312) for placing over the tissue site and operable to form a pneumatic seal over the tissue site. The reduced-pressure treatment system also includes a reduced- pressure bridge (102) and a moisture-removing device (216) on at least portion of the reduced-pressure bridge. The reduced-pressure bridge includes a delivery manifold (212) operable to transfer the reduced pressure to the treatment manifold, an encapsulating envelope (208) at least partially enclosing the delivery manifold and having a patient-facing side, and a reduced-pressure- interface site (114) formed proximate one end of the reduced-pressure bridge.