Variable Pressure Wound Enclosure Gas Mixture Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wound treatment systems face challenges in effectively stimulating blood and lymphatic circulation, which is crucial for wound healing, and struggle to manage the composition and diffusion of gas mixtures in a controlled manner, especially for varied wound types and environments.

Innovation Solution

A system for generating a gas mixture that modulates pressure and composition temporally, incorporating a recirculation device with filtration and humidity regulation, and temperature control, allowing for customizable treatment programs to stimulate wound healing across different wound types and environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a treatment chamber with controlled gas mixture is used for wound treatment, then the wound environment is controlled and healing is promoted, but the ability to effectively stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewound healing effectivenessVSAvoidinsufficient circulation stimulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic pressure variations within the treatment chamber to stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation. The pressure cycle includes inflation phase (pressurizing the chamber to stimulate circulation and tissue perfusion), maintenance phase (holding pressure to sustain circulation stimulation), and deflation phase (releasing pressure to allow tissue relaxation). This periodic action transforms a static controlled environment into a dynamic system that actively promotes circulation while maintaining wound healing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Stability of the object's composition

If the gas mixture composition is kept constant, then the wound environment is stable, but the ability to adapt to different wound types and stimulation needs is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas mixture stabilityVSAvoidadaptability to different wound types
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic control of gas mixture composition through independent regulation of oxygen flow rate and total gas flow rate. The system can adjust the oxygen concentration (mole fraction) and overall gas flow dynamically during treatment, allowing adaptation to different wound types (acute or chronic), anatomical locations, and treatment phases while maintaining stable baseline conditions when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes multiple gas mixture parameters simultaneously - oxygen mole fraction, total gas flow rate, and pressure level - to adapt to different treatment requirements. The processor independently controls oxygen flow rate and total gas flow rate, enabling flexible adjustment of oxygen concentration and delivery rate to match specific wound healing needs without compromising overall system stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of energy

If a recirculation device is added to save resources, then oxygen and water vapor are conserved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource conservationVSAvoidsystem structural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into the treatment chamber system: the recirculation device integrates gas mixture recirculation, oxygen supplementation, and pressure control capabilities. The processor unit consolidates control of oxygen flow rate, total gas flow rate, and pressure variations in a single control system. This merging approach enables resource conservation through recirculation while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances wound healing by stimulating blood and lymphatic circulation, effectively managing waste evacuation, and adapting to various wound conditions, ensuring optimal healing environments regardless of surface type or pathology.

Implementation Method 1

The processor is arranged to determine a time variation function of the pressure of the gas mixture to be delivered into the treatment chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure modulation: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

the recirculation device includes a filter capable of filtering at least a portion of the gas mixture that has passed through the treatment chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 3

the recirculation system includes a dehumidifier and/or a humidifier. This arrangement allows for variation in the mole fraction of water vapor contained in the delivered gas mixture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHumidity regulation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 4

the gas mixture generator is capable of delivering said gas mixture into the treatment chamber at a determined temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTemperature control: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3471683B1System for delivering a variable pressure for an enclosure for treatment of a wound
Publication Date: 2021.06.09 DTAMEDICAL
  • EP3471683B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3471683B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3471683B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

A system (5) for generating a gaseous mixture for an enclosure (7) for treatment of a wound (3), comprising a generator (11) for generating the gaseous mixture and for delivering said gaseous mixture to the treatment enclosure (7) at a defined flow rate, the generator (11) of the gaseous mixture being designed to vary a molar fraction of dioxygen of said delivered gaseous mixture and to vary a molar fraction of water vapour of said delivered gaseous mixture, a control unit (39) which serves for controlling the delivered gaseous mixture and is provided with a processor (41) for receiving information relating to a pressure (P) inside the treatment enclosure (7) and/or designed to determine a flow rate of said gaseous mixture to be delivered in the treatment enclosure (7) in order to obtain an internal target pressure, the target pressure being defined by a time variation function of the pressure between a minimum pressure, corresponding to an ambient pressure outside the treatment enclosure (7), and a maximum pressure.