Wound Therapy System Volume Estimation Using Geometric Approximation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wound therapy systems face challenges in determining the appropriate volume of instillation fluid to deliver to wounds, especially when using negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in combination with topical fluids, as existing methods lack precision in fluid delivery based on wound geometry.
Innovation Solution
A wound therapy system that includes an instillation fluid canister, a pump, and a controller configured to determine the wound volume using user-inputted geometric attributes such as width, height, and depth, applying these inputs to various geometric models (rectangular, elliptical cylinder, or prolate ellipsoid) to calculate the volume, and then delivers the calculated volume of instillation fluid to the wound via tubing, with an optional fluid instillation factor to adjust the fluid volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If geometric models are used to calculate wound volume, then fluid delivery precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual measurement and estimation methods with an automated electronic system that uses geometric models to calculate wound volume. The controller receives wound dimension inputs and automatically computes the volume using mathematical formulas (e.g., rectangular prism: V=length×width×depth; cylindrical: V=πr²h), thereby improving fluid delivery precision while the electronic automation manages the complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified geometric representations (copies) of the actual wound by inputting key dimensions into standardized volume formulas. Instead of measuring the complex irregular shape directly, the system uses idealized geometric shapes (rectangular prisms, cylinders, cones) that approximate the wound geometry, enabling precise volume calculation without requiring complex measurement devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple geometric models are provided for different wound shapes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple geometric models (rectangular prism, cylinder, cone, and irregular shape approximations) within a single device. The system can automatically or manually select the appropriate model based on wound shape, providing adaptability across different wound types while consolidating multiple functions into one unified controller interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to different wound geometries by allowing users to select or automatically determining the appropriate geometric model based on the wound shape. The controller can switch between different volume calculation formulas (rectangular: V=lwh, cylindrical: V=πr²h, conical: V=1/3πr²h) depending on which best fits the observed wound morphology, making the device versatile without requiring separate devices for each shape.
Data Source
AI summary
A wound therapy system includes an instillation fluid canister configured to contain an instillation fluid, a pump fluidly coupled to the instillation fluid canister and operable to deliver the instillation fluid from the instillation fluid canister to a wound, a user interface configured to receive user input indicating one or more geometric attributes of the wound, and a controller electronically coupled to the pump and the user interface. The controller is configured to determine a volume of the wound based on the user input, determine a volume of the instillation fluid to deliver to the wound based on the volume of the wound, and operate the pump to deliver the determined volume of the instillation fluid to the wound.