Wound Dressing with Electrode Assembly for Moisture Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wound dressings lack effective monitoring capabilities to determine the operational state, leading to potential early or late changes, which can result in increased costs, material waste, adhesive failure, leakage, and unsatisfactory wound healing conditions.

Innovation Solution

A wound dressing system with a monitor interface and electrode assembly that connects to a monitor device, allowing for the detection of moisture and wetting patterns on the absorbent core layer, providing real-time data on the dressing's condition to prevent leakage and optimize healing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wound dressings are used without monitoring capabilities, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of wound healing is reduced due to inability to detect operational state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of wound healingVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by equipping the wound dressing with sensors that continuously monitor the wound environment (moisture, temperature, pH) and transmit this information to a monitoring device. This feedback loop enables real-time detection of operational state changes, allowing timely interventions to maintain optimal healing conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection of wound dressings with electronic sensing and automated monitoring systems. Sensors detect physiological parameters electronically, and a monitor device processes this data automatically, substituting the mechanical routine of physical examination with an electronic system that improves reliability while managing complexity through automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If wound dressings are changed frequently to ensure optimal conditions, then the reliability of wound healing is improved, but the loss of time and increased costs occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of wound healingVSAvoidloss of time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system provides continuous feedback on the actual wound condition and dressing operational state, enabling clinicians to determine precisely when changes are necessary. This eliminates the need for frequent routine changes, reducing time loss while maintaining optimal healing conditions through evidence-based intervention timing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The wound dressing system performs self-monitoring of its own operational state through integrated sensors that detect moisture levels, temperature changes, and other critical parameters. This self-service capability provides real-time information about when the dressing needs changing, eliminating the need for frequent manual inspections and reducing time loss while ensuring reliable wound healing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of time

If wound dressings are changed late to reduce frequency, then the loss of time and costs are reduced, but the reliability decreases due to adhesive failure and leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloss of timeVSAvoidreliability of wound healing
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system provides early warning feedback when the dressing approaches the end of its operational capacity by detecting changes in moisture levels, adhesion status, or other critical parameters. This enables proactive scheduling of dressing changes before adhesive failure or leakage occurs, maintaining reliability while optimizing the timing to minimize time loss and costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Measurement precision

If monitoring capabilities are added to wound dressings, then the measurement precision of wound state is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precision of wound stateVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs electronic sensors and digital processing to replace manual assessment methods for measuring wound state parameters. This substitution achieves high measurement precision for moisture, temperature, and pH levels while managing device complexity through the use of standardized electronic components and automated data processing algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The monitoring system is designed with multi-functionality, where a single integrated platform performs multiple measurement tasks (moisture detection, temperature monitoring, pH sensing) and provides comprehensive wound assessment. This universal approach improves measurement precision across multiple parameters while avoiding the complexity of separate specialized devices for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables reliable monitoring of the wound dressing's state, reducing the risk of leakage and improving wound healing by providing timely replacements and maintaining optimal conditions, thus enhancing user comfort and reducing healthcare costs.

Implementation Method 1

an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged on a distal side of the absorbent core layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conductivity: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentEP3806717B1Wound dressing and method of manufacturing a wound dressing
Publication Date: 2023.08.09 COLOPLAST AS
  • EP3806717B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3806717B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3806717B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A wound dressing and a method for manufacture of a wound dressing is disclosed. The wound dressing comprises a top layer; a first adhesive layer with a proximal surface configured for attachment of the wound dressing to the skin surface of a user; an absorbent core layer; an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged on a distal side of the absorbent core layer, the electrode assembly having a first part and a second part, the first part comprising connection parts of the plurality of electrodes and the second part being arranged between the absorbent core layer and the top layer, the second part comprising a plurality of sensor points distributed along a distal surface of the absorbent core layer; and a monitor interface configured for connecting the wound dressing to a monitor device, the monitor interface comprising a plurality of terminals configured to form electrical connections with respective terminals of the monitor device, wherein the top layer comprises a top layer opening configured to allow for connection between the plurality of electrodes of the electrode assembly and terminals of the monitor device.