Systems and methods for applying reduced pressure therapy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10143785-B2
Application number	US-201815895953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2018
Priority date	Aug 13, 2015
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of negative pressure wound therapy systems and methods for operating the systems are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system includes a negative pressure source, a wound dressing configured to be positioned over a wound, and optionally a canister configured to store fluid aspirated from the wound. The negative pressure source, wound dressing, and canister (when present) can be fluidically connected to facilitate delivery of negative pressure to the wound. The system can be configured to automatically detect whether the canister is positioned in the fluid flow path between the negative pressure source and the dressing while negative pressure source provides negative pressure to the wound dressing. Operation of the system can be adjusted based on whether presence of the canister has been detected. For example, a value of an operational parameter can be set to indicate that the canister is present.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a wound, comprising:
a negative pressure source configured to provide, via a fluid flow path comprising at least one lumen, negative pressure under a dressing placed over a wound; and
a controller configured to:
detect status of a parameter associated with a canister being positioned in the fluid flow path between the negative pressure source and the dressing, the canister being configured to store fluid removed from the wound,
in response to detecting that the parameter indicates that the canister is positioned in the fluid flow path, operate the negative pressure source to provide negative pressure under the dressing according to a first mode of operation, and
in response to detecting that the parameter indicates that the canister is not positioned in the fluid flow path, operate the negative pressure source to provide negative pressure under the dressing according to a second mode of operation different from the first mode of operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter associated with the canister being positioned in the fluid flow path while the negative pressure source is maintaining negative pressure under the dressing within a negative pressure range.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter associated with the canister being positioned in the fluid flow path without determining a pressure under the dressing and a flow rate of fluid in the fluid flow path, or wherein the controller is configured to set the parameter associated with the canister being positioned in the fluid flow path without using a direct measurement of an operating speed of the negative pressure source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to set the parameter associated with the canister being positioned in the fluid flow path based at least on a level of activity of the negative pressure source and a first change in negative pressure provided by the negative pressure source to the dressing.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first change in negative pressure comprises one of (i) an average change in negative pressure between a maximum overshoot pressure and an upper hysteresis point pressure over a first time period while the negative pressure source is maintaining negative pressure under the dressing within the negative pressure range or (ii) an average change in negative pressure between the upper hysteresis point pressure and a lower hysteresis point pressure over a second time period while the negative pressure source is maintaining negative pressure under the dressing within the negative pressure range, and wherein:
the lower hysteresis point comprises pressure measured at a time when the negative pressure source is activated to restore pressure under the dressing to be within the negative pressure range,
the upper hysteresis point pressure comprises pressure measured at a time when the negative pressure source is deactivated after pressure under the dressing is restored to be within the negative pressure range, and
the maximum overshoot pressure comprises a maximum negative pressure measured after the negative pressure source is deactivated and before the negative pressure source is reactivated.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to set the parameter associated with the canister being positioned in the fluid flow path based at least on a second change in negative pressure provided by the negative pressure source to the dressing, the second change in negative pressure being different from the first change in negative pressure.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the level of activity of the negative pressure source based at least on a duty cycle of the negative pressure source.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine the first change in negative pressure from a pressure measured at a pump head of the negative pressure source.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
in the first mode of operation, activate an alarm based at least on a comparison between the level of activity of the negative pressure source and a first activity threshold, and
in the second mode of operation, activate the alarm based at least on a comparison between the level of activity of the negative pressure source and a second activity threshold different from the first activity threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the alarm is indicative of a blockage in the fluid flow path or wherein the alarm is indicative of a leak in the fluid flow path, and when the alarm is indicative of a leak in the flow path, the controller is further configured to:
in the first mode of operation, clear the alarm based at least on a comparison between the level of activity of the negative pressure source and a third activity threshold, and
in the second mode of operation, clear the alarm based at least on a comparison between the level of activity of the negative pressure source and a fourth activity threshold different from the third activity threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect that the canister is not positioned in the fluid flow path in response to determining that a plurality of conditions are satisfied, and
detect that the canister is positioned in the fluid flow path in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of conditions is not satisfied.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of conditions comprises:
a first condition indicating whether a first change in negative pressure provided by the negative pressure source to the dressing meets a first pressure threshold while the negative pressure source is maintaining negative pressure under the dressing within the negative pressure range; and
a second condition indicating whether a second change in negative pressure provided by the negative pressure source to the dressing does not meet a second pressure threshold while the negative pressure source is maintaining negative pressure under the dressing within the negative pressure range.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first change in negative pressure comprises an average change in negative pressure between a maximum overshoot pressure and an upper hysteresis point pressure over a first time period while the negative pressure source is maintaining negative pressure under the dressing within the negative pressure range, and the second change in negative pressure comprises an average change in negative pressure between the upper hysteresis point pressure and a lower hysteresis point pressure over a second time period while the negative pressure source is maintaining negative pressure under the dressing within the negative pressure range; and wherein:
the lower hysteresis point comprises pressure measured at a time when the negative pressure source is activated to restore pressure under the dressing to be within the negative pressure range,
the upper hysteresis point pressure comprises pressure measured at a time when the negative pressure source is deactivated after pressure under the dressing is restored to be within the negative pressure range, and
the maximum overshoot pressure comprises a maximum negative pressure measured after the negative pressure source is deactivated and before the negative pressure source is reactivated.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor co

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew Inc

Inventors

• Adams Eric Edward
• Bendele Kevin
• Husz Aaron Michael
• Lee David Edward
• Quintanar Felix Clarence
• Rush Lee Michael
• Upton David Ronald
• Ward William Jacob

Classifications

• A61M1/96 Primary

  Suction control thereof · CPC title

• A61M1/984

  portable on the body · CPC title

• A61M1/916

  specially adapted for deep wounds · CPC title

• A61M1/985

  the dressing itself forming the collection container · CPC title

• A61M2205/14

  Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus · CPC title