System and method for locating fluid leaks at a drape of a reduced pressure delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9474679-B2
Application number	US-201313948757-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2013
Priority date	Sep 19, 2006
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for performing tissue therapy may include applying a reduced pressure to a tissue site, sensing a fluid parameter being applied to the tissue site, generating a fluid sensor signal in response to sensing the fluid parameter, and altering the fluid sensor signal in response to sensing that the fluid parameter changes. A fluid leak location mode may be entered. In response to the fluid leak location mode being entered, a graphical user interface that provides for fluid leak location functionality may be displayed. In one embodiment, the fluid leak location mode may be automatically entered in response to the sensor signal crossing a threshold value. Additionally, an alarm signal may be generated in response to determining that the fluid sensor signal crosses the threshold value.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for performing tissue therapy, comprising:
a processing unit;
a reduced pressure source;
a conduit fluidly connected between said reduced pressure source and a tissue site of a patient, said conduit configured to apply a reduced pressure produced by said reduced pressure source to the tissue site;
a drape configured for positioning over the tissue site to maintain the reduced pressure at the tissue site;
a fluid sensor in fluid communication with said conduit and electrical communication with said processing unit, said fluid sensor configured to sense a fluid parameter within said conduit and generate a fluid sensor signal in response to sensing the fluid parameter, said fluid sensor altering the fluid sensor signal in response to sensing that the fluid parameter within said conduit changes;
an electronic display in communication with said processing unit to provide a graphical user interface for displaying fluid leak location functionality; and
said processing unit being configured to enter a fluid leak location mode automatically in response to sensing when the fluid sensor signal crosses a threshold value that causes the fluid leak location functionality to be displayed on said electronic display.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a transducer in communication with said processing unit, said processing unit further being configured to communicate a fluid leak location signal to said transducer to generate at least one sensory indicator in a variable manner, said processing unit further configured to, in response to the fluid sensor signal being altered, change the fluid leak location signal in the variable manner.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said transducer is a speaker configured to produce an audible sensory indicator in response to receiving the fluid leak location signal.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said processing unit is configured to alter an audible frequency of the fluid leak location signal in response to receiving an altered fluid sensor signal.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said processing unit is configured to alter a duration of the fluid leak location signal in response to receiving an altered fluid sensor signal.

6. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said processing unit is configured to alter an amplitude of the fluid leak location signal in response to receiving an altered fluid sensor signal.

7. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to:
determine that the fluid sensor signal crosses a threshold value;
generate an alarm signal in response to determining that the fluid sensor signal crossed the threshold value; and
communicate the alarm signal to said transducer to cause an alarm to be generated.

8. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said processing unit is selectably configured to toggle the at least one sensory indicator on and off.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to display a graphical user element that enables a user to selectably cause said processing unit to enter the fluid leak location mode.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to generate a graphical indicator indicative of the fluid parameter and to change the graphical indicator in response to a change of the fluid parameter while in the fluid leak location mode.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the graphical indicator is a numerical value that is dynamically altered in response to a fluid leak location signal changing.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said fluid sensor is an airflow sensor.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said fluid sensor is a pressure sensor.

14. A method for performing tissue therapy, comprising:
applying a reduced pressure to a tissue site;
sensing a fluid parameter being applied to the tissue site;
generating a fluid sensor signal in response to sensing the fluid parameter;
altering the fluid sensor signal in response to sensing that the fluid parameter changes;
enabling, by a processing unit, a fluid leak location mode to be entered; and
displaying, by the processing unit in response to the fluid leak location mode being entered, a graphical user interface that provides for fluid leak location functionality on an electronic display.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
generating, by the processing unit, a fluid leak location signal in response to receiving the fluid sensor signal;
in response to the fluid sensor signal being altered, changing, by the processing unit, the fluid leak location signal in a variable manner; and
generating at least one sensory indicator responsive to the fluid leak location signal.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein generating the at least one sensory indicator includes generating an audible sensory indicator in response to receiving the fluid leak location signal.

17. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising altering an audible frequency of the fluid leak location signal in response to receiving the altered fluid sensor signal.

18. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising altering a duration of the fluid leak location signal in response to receiving the altered fluid sensor signal.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein enabling includes enabling the at least one sensory indicator to be selectably toggled on and off.

20. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
determining that the fluid sensor signal crosses a threshold value;
generating an alarm signal in response to determining that the fluid sensor signal crossed the threshold value; and
communicating the alarm signal to cause an alarm to be generated.

21. The method according to claim 14 , wherein enabling the fluid leak location mode to be entered includes automatically entering, by the processing unit, the fluid leak location mode in response to sensing that the fluid sensor signal crosses a threshold value.

22. The method according to claim 14 , wherein enabling the fluid leak location mode to be entered includes displaying a graphical user element that enables a user to selectably cause the processing unit to enter the fluid leak location mode.

23. The method according to claim 14 , wherein further comprising displaying a graphical indicator indicative of the fluid parameter and changes of the fluid parameter while in the fluid leak location mode.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein displaying the graphical indicator includes displaying a numerical value that is dynamically altered in response to the fluid leak location signal changing.

25. The method according to claim 14 , wherein sensing the fluid parameter includes sensing airflow.

26. The method according to claim 14 , wherein sensing the fluid sensor includes sensing pressure.

27. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising altering an amplitude of the fluid leak location signal in response to receiving the altered fluid sensor signal.

Assignees

• Kci Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Locke Christopher Brian
• Beard Mark Stephen James
• Blandford David Robson
• Robinson Timothy Mark

Classifications

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• A61M2205/3379

  Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates · CPC title

• A61M2205/15

  Detection of leaks · CPC title

• A61N1/0468

  Specially adapted for promoting wound healing · CPC title

• A61M2205/3327

  Measuring · CPC title