Multi-site Wound Pressure Monitoring with Segmented Conduits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current reduced pressure treatment systems for multiple tissue sites lack effective monitoring, leading to potential variations in pressure that can go unnoticed, causing detrimental effects such as delayed healing or graft failure, as only one conduit is typically monitored for pressure at a time.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes a reduced-pressure source, pressure management module, conduits for delivering and sensing pressure at multiple tissue sites, with each site having a sensing conduit and delivery conduit associated with it, allowing for real-time monitoring and adjustment of pressure to ensure consistent treatment across all sites.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single conduit is used to deliver reduced pressure to multiple tissue sites, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of pressure at each tissue site deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconduit configurationVSAvoidpressure monitoring accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the pressure delivery and monitoring function into separate segments: one conduit is dedicated for pressure delivery to multiple tissue sites, while separate sensing conduits are placed at each tissue site for independent pressure monitoring. This segmentation allows the single delivery conduit to maintain low complexity while the distributed sensing conduits enable precise local pressure measurement at each site.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If separate conduits are used for each tissue site, then the measurement precision of pressure at each site is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure monitoring accuracyVSAvoidconduit configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure delivery conduit serves multiple functions: it delivers reduced pressure to multiple tissue sites simultaneously and acts as a common distribution system. The sensing conduits, while separate for measurement precision, are designed with universal connection interfaces to the pressure management module, allowing standardized monitoring across all sites without proportionally increasing system complexity.

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

3Device complexity

If pressure is monitored at only one tissue site, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of treatment across all sites deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring systemVSAvoidtreatment consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback monitoring by placing sensing conduits at each tissue site that continuously measure local pressure and transmit data to the pressure management module. The module compares measured pressures against target pressure ranges and provides real-time feedback, automatically adjusting pressure delivery to maintain consistent treatment across all sites, thereby ensuring treatment reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If real-time pressure monitoring is implemented at multiple sites, then the reliability of treatment is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetreatment consistencyVSAvoidmonitoring system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges all sensing conduits into a single integrated pressure management module that consolidates data from multiple tissue sites. The module provides unified pressure regulation and monitoring capabilities, allowing multiple sensing points to be managed through a centralized control system rather than requiring separate control mechanisms for each site, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable multi-site monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3574929B1Systems for managing reduced pressure at a plurality of wound sites
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 SOLVENTUM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES CO
  • EP3574929B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3574929B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3574929B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods are presented for providing reduced pressure to and monitoring pressure at a plurality of tissue sites using a plurality of pressure management devices (128). The pressure management devices are associated with a plurality of sensing conduits (126) that fluidly couple the pressure management devices and the plurality of tissue sites. Other systems, methods, and devices are disclosed.