Fluidic connector for negative pressure wound therapy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10076594-B2
Application number	US-201514715527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed herein are several embodiments of a wound treatment apparatus employing a fluidic connector for negative pressure wound therapy and methods of using the same. Some embodiments are directed to improved fluidic connectors for connecting to a wound site, for example a fluidic connector including a reinforcement, and methods of using the same.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wound treatment apparatus comprising:
a wound dressing comprising a cover layer and an absorbent layer for absorbing wound exudate positioned beneath the cover layer, wherein the absorbent layer comprises a super-absorbent material and defines a smaller perimeter than the cover layer, such that a boundary region of the cover layer surrounding the absorbent layer is defined between an edge of the absorbent layer and an edge of the cover layer, and wherein the wound dressing is configured to substantially retain the wound exudate within the wound dressing when negative pressure is provided to the wound dressing;
a fluidic connector configured to provide negative pressure to the wound dressing through an aperture in the cover layer, the aperture in the cover layer being located over the absorbent layer, the fluidic connector comprising:
a spacer layer comprising a proximal end, an elongate middle portion and a distal end;
a top layer constructed from a liquid impermeable material provided over the spacer layer;
a bottom layer constructed from a liquid impermeable material provided below the spacer layer, wherein the top layer and the bottom layer substantially enclose the spacer layer, and wherein the top layer and the bottom layer have enlarged distal ends surrounding the distal end of the spacer layer;
a sealing surface on a lower surface of the bottom layer for sealing the fluidic connector to a top surface of the cover layer, the sealing surface comprising an opening positioned over the aperture in the cover layer; and
an elongate conduit extending away from the sealing surface defined between the top layer and the bottom layer; and

a reinforcement directly adhered to both the fluidic connector and a top surface of the cover layer and configured to provide additional securement between the fluidic connector and the cover layer, the reinforcement comprising:
an upper surface;
a lower, wound-facing surface; and
an adhesive disposed on the wound-facing surface of the reinforcement, wherein the adhesive is configured to seal the reinforcement to the top surface of the cover layer,

wherein the reinforcement is positioned along at least a portion of the fluidic connector between the opening in the cover layer above the absorbent layer and the boundary region of the cover layer,
wherein the reinforcement is positioned only above the absorbent layer and is not positioned over the boundary region of the cover layer, and
wherein the wound dressing comprising the cover layer and the absorbent layer, the fluidic connector, and the reinforcement are adhered together to form a single unit for simultaneous positioning and removal of the wound dressing, the fluidic connector and the reinforcement to and from a wound site.

2. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement is configured to be positioned between the top surface of the cover layer and the lower surface of the bottom layer, wherein the lower surface of the bottom layer is configured to be adhered to the reinforcement.

3. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcement is positioned between the top surface of the cover layer and the lower surface of the bottom layer.

4. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcement comprises a strip of adhesive tape.

5. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the strip of adhesive tape is adhered to configured to be positioned between the sealing surface and the edge of the cover layer.

6. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcement comprises a skirt configured to be positioned between the sealing surface and the top surface of the cover layer, the skirt comprises an opening configured to be positioned over the aperture in the cover layer.

7. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sealing surface is adhered to the top surface of the cover layer with a first adhesive, and the lower surface of the bottom layer of the fluidic connector is adhered to the reinforcement with a second adhesive.

8. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first adhesive is an adhesive ring that surrounds the aperture in the cover layer, and the second adhesive is one of a second adhesive ring surrounding the first adhesive ring and an adhesive layer on a lower surface of the elongate conduit.

9. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement is provided over the fluidic connector.

10. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcement provided over the fluidic connector is an adhesive tape provided over the elongate conduit and adhered to the top surface of the cover layer on opposite sides of the elongate conduit.

11. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcement is transparent.

12. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealing surface is provided at an enlarged distal end of the fluidic connector.

13. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic connector further comprises one or more apertures in the bottom layer beneath the distal end of the spacer layer.

14. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the spacer layer comprises a 3D fabric material.

15. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic connector further comprises a filter positioned across the opening in the sealing surface.

16. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wound dressing further comprises a wound contact layer, wherein the absorbent layer is positioned between the wound contact layer and the cover layer.

17. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the wound dressing further comprises one or more transmission layers between the wound contact layer and the cover layer.

18. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the one or more transmission layers comprise 3D fabric material.

19. The wound treatment apparatus of claim 17 , comprising a transmission layer beneath the absorbent layer.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum source configured to apply negative pressure to the wound site to the fluidic connector and through the wound dressing, wherein the wound dressing and the fluidic connector are configured to be directly or indirectly connected to the vacuum source and configured to apply negative pressure from the vacuum source without positioning a collection canister configured to collect fluid between the fluidic connector and the vacuum source.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement is constructed of a single layer having a partly elongated teardrop shape sized to substantially span the entirety of the sealing surface.

22. A wound treatment apparatus comprising:
a wound dressing comprising:
a cover layer comprising an aperture;
a wound contact layer; and
an absorbent layer between the cover layer and the wound contact layer, wherein the absorbent layer comprises a super-absorbent material;

a reinforcement layer directly adhered to a top surface of the cover layer above the absorbent layer, wherein the reinforcement layer comprises:
an opening positioned above the aperture in the cover layer; and
an adhesive disposed on a lower, wound-facing surface of the reinforcement layer, wherein the adhesive seals the lower surface of the reinforcement layer to the top surface of the cover layer;

a fluidic connector configured to provide negative pressure to the wound dressing thro

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew

Inventors

• Collinson Sarah Jenny
• Gowans John
• Gowans Philip

Classifications

• A61F13/0206

  with absorbent fibrous layers, e.g. woven or non-woven absorbent pads or island dressings · CPC title

• A61M2205/7536

  allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes · CPC title

• A61M2205/7518

  bacterial · CPC title

• A61M1/913

  having a bridging element for transferring the reduced pressure from the connector to the dressing · CPC title

• A61M1/985

  the dressing itself forming the collection container · CPC title