Wound Volume Measurement via Fluid Displacement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wound treatment methods struggle to accurately measure wound volume, leading to inconsistent dosing of therapeutic substances, as the size of wounds varies among patients and the hermetic sealing of wounds makes external volume estimation difficult.
Innovation Solution
A wound volume measuring device that includes a foam dressing, suction head, film dressing, negative pressure generating unit, flow sensor, pressure sensor, and volume calculating part, which creates a sealed space, applies negative pressure, and calculates wound volume based on fluid flow, allowing for accurate determination of therapeutic substance dosage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hermetic seal is applied to the wound with a film dressing and porous pad, then the wound is protected and negative pressure can be applied, but the volume of the wound site cannot be estimated from the outside
Solution Approach 1:
A fluid is introduced as an intermediary substance between the sealed wound cavity and the measurement system. The fluid fills the wound cavity through the porous pad when negative pressure is applied, and its volume is measured externally using a flow sensor, thereby enabling indirect volume measurement without breaking the hermetic seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses negative pressure (pneumatic principle) to draw fluid into the wound cavity through the porous pad, and measures the fluid volume using hydraulic principles. The flow sensor detects the volume of fluid that has entered the wound cavity, providing an indirect measurement of the wound volume while maintaining the hermetic seal.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wound size varies among patients, then individualized treatment is needed, but the dose of therapeutic substance cannot be determined uniformly
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by measuring the actual wound volume using the fluid displacement method and using this measured volume information to determine the appropriate dose of therapeutic substance. The volume calculating part processes the flow sensor data to provide quantitative feedback on wound size, enabling precise dosage determination tailored to each patient's specific wound volume.
3Ease of operation
If the physician determines the dose of therapeutic substance based on experience and patient improvement, then treatment can be adjusted, but accurate volume measurement is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the subjective, experience-based dosage determination method with an objective, automated measurement system. Instead of relying on the physician's experience and visual estimation, the system uses a flow sensor and volume calculating part to automatically measure the wound volume and determine the therapeutic substance dose, providing precise quantitative data.
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 automatic and precise measurement of wound volume, facilitating more accurate administration of therapeutic substances based on the measured volume, improving wound treatment efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
creating a vacuum in said wound cavity by vacuum pump means so as to produce a predetermined vacuum in the wound cavity
Implementation Method 2
measuring a volume of air extracted from said wound cavity in producing said predetermined vacuum
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a wound volume measuring method and device, wherein the method comprises the steps of: disposing a foam dressing on a wound site; hermetically sealing the wound site by attaching a film dressing on skin adjacent to the wound site; supplying a negative pressure to the hermetically sealed space formed between the film dressing and the wound site, and thereby discharging fluid into the hermetically sealed space; measuring the flow of the fluid discharged from the hermetically sealed space; and calculating the volume of the wound site on the basis of the measured fluid flow.