초록 ▼

A system for applying suction to a wound uses a reference airflow for monitoring system operation. A reference airflow (or "controlled leak") to the suction source is provided when the system is in operation, such that deviation from the reference airflow can be monitored as an indication of a chang

A system for applying suction to a wound uses a reference airflow for monitoring system operation. A reference airflow (or "controlled leak") to the suction source is provided when the system is in operation, such that deviation from the reference airflow can be monitored as an indication of a change in operation, such as a leak in the seal of the wound cover, a blockage of airflow from crimping of the suction conduit or overfill of the waste collector, or an inadvertent turn off or disconnect from the suction source.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A system for applying suction to a wound, comprising: a conduit to provide fluid communication between a suction source and a wound cover sealable to skin surrounding the wound to communicate suction to the wound; a waste collector disposed in the conduit between the wound cover and th

We claim: 1. A system for applying suction to a wound, comprising: a conduit to provide fluid communication between a suction source and a wound cover sealable to skin surrounding the wound to communicate suction to the wound; a waste collector disposed in the conduit between the wound cover and the suction source; a flow rate monitor to monitor airflow through the conduit; and a vent located in the conduit on the wound side of the waste collector to provide a reference airflow to the flow rate monitor such that the flow rate monitor indicates leakage in the system when the airflow deviates above the reference airflow and occlusion in the system when the airflow deviates below the reference airflow, the location of the vent enabling the flow rate monitor to detect occlusion in the conduit between the wound cover and the waste collector. 2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the vent is calibrated to produce a reference airflow less than about 1000 cubic centimeters per minute. 3. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a source of therapeutic mixture in fluid communication with the wound. 4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the suction source is a portable pump. 5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the flow rate monitor comprises a direct airflow measuring device selected from the group consisting of a target meter, a hot wire anemometer, a mass flow meter, a differential pressure meter, and a turbine meter. 6. A system as in claim 4, wherein the flow rate monitor measures pump revolutions over a period of time as a surrogate for airflow rate. 7. A system as in claim 1, wherein the vent is an aperture into the conduit that is filled with a porous material. 8. A system as in claim 2, wherein the wound cover is a semi-permeable wound cover having a natural permeation rate less than the reference airflow. 9. A system as in claim 2, wherein the reference airflow is in the range of about 50-300 cubic centimeters per minute. 10. A system as in claim 5, further comprising a filter/drier unit in the conduit between the wound and the airflow measuring device. 11. A system as in claim 1, wherein the flow rate monitor is a float meter indicating by the position of a float when airflow through the meter is in a normal range associated with the reference airflow and when airflow through the meter is outside of the normal range. 12. A system as in claim 6, further comprising a pressure transducer for detecting pressure at the pump, wherein the pump is capable of operation at variable speed and pump speed is controlled to maintain the pressure sensed by the transducer based on a pressure setting. 13. A system as in claim 6, the pump further comprising a visual indicator of airflow adapted to indicate reference airflow, deviation below reference airflow, and deviation above reference airflow as detected by the flow rate monitor. 14. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a safety valve in the conduit to guard against application of excessively high levels of suction to the wound. 15. A system as in claim 6, the pump further comprising a compliance monitor for computing an amount of clinically useful suction applied to the wound as determined by the flow monitor. 16. A system as in claim 6, further comprising a pressure transducer for detecting pressure at the pump, wherein the pump cycles on and off to maintain the pressure sensed by the transducer within a range of a pressure setting. 17. A system as in claim 12, wherein the pressure setting is varied between a first level and a second level of 20-25 mm Hg. 18. A system as in claim 12, wherein the airflow determination accounts for compressibility effects. 19. A system as in claim 13, further comprising a graduated color-coded bar meter. 20. A system as in claim 4, wherein the flow rate monitor measures pump operation to determine airflow rate. 21. A system as in claim 6, wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump. 22. A system for applying suction to a wound, comprising: a suction source for providing suction to a conduit operatively associated with the wound to communicate suction to the wound; a vent in fluid communication with the conduit to provide a reference airflow into the conduit when the system is in operation, such that a loss of suction at the wound is indicated by deviation from the reference airflow; and a flow rate monitor to monitor airflow through the conduit and to indicate reference airflow or deviation above or below the reference airflow; wherein the flow rate monitor is a float meter indicating by the position of a float when airflow through the meter is in a normal range associated with the reference airflow and when airflow through the meter is outside of the normal range, the float meter having a plurality of inner chambers with discrete diameters, the chambers having progressively larger diameters from the bottom to the top of the float meter. 23. A system as in claim 22, the float meter chambers being color-coded to indicate normal and abnormal positions of the float in the float meter. 24. A system as in claim 22, wherein the suction source is a portable pump. 25. A system for suction wound therapy, comprising; a conduit to provide fluid communication between a suction source and a wound cover sealable to skin surrounding the wound to communicate suction to the wound; a waste collector disposed in the conduit between the wound cover and the suction source; a flow rate monitor to monitor airflow through the conduit; and a vent located in the conduit on the wound side of the waste collector to provide a reference airflow to the flow rate monitor such that the flow rate monitor indicates occlusion in the system when the airflow deviates below the reference airflow, the location of the vent enabling the flow rate monitor to detect occlusion in the conduit between the wound cover and the waste collector. 26. A system as in claim 25, wherein the reference airflow is below about 1000 cubic centimeters per minute. 27. A system as in claim 26, wherein the reference airflow is in the range of about 50-300 cubic centimeters per minute. 28. A system as in claim 25, further including a supply system for providing therapeutic mixture to the wound. 29. A system as in claim 25, wherein the source of suction is a portable pump. 30. A system as in claim 29, wherein the pump has a docking station to support the canister and a connection fitting on the canister adapted to be received into a connection port of the pump, wherein the fitting has a sealing element. 31. A system as in claim 25, wherein the canister contains stacked disks of gelling agent. 32. A system as in claim 29, the pump further comprising a pressure transducer for detecting pressure at the pump and a controller for maintaining the pressure sensed by the transducer based on a pressure setting. 33. A system as in claim 25, wherein the suction source is a positive displacement pump and the flow rate monitor measures pump revolutions over a period of time as a surrogate for airflow. 34. A system as in claim 33, further comprising: a pressure transducer for sensing pressure at the pump; and a pressure controller for cycling the pump on and off to maintain the pressure at the pump in a range around a pressure setpoint. 35. A system as in claim 33, wherein the pump is capable of operation at variable speed. 36. A system for applying suction to a wound, comprising: a conduit to provide fluid communication between a suction source and a wound cover sealable to skin surrounding the wound to communicate suction to the wound; a waste collector disposed in the conduit between the wound cover and the suction source; a flow rate monitor to monitor airflow in the conduit; and a vent located in the conduit on the wound side of the waste collector to provide a reference airflow to the flow rate monitor such that the flow rate monitor indicates leakage in the system when the airflow deviates above the reference airflow. 37. A system as in claim 36, the flow rate monitor further comprising a non-numerical visual annunciator to indicate whether the flow rate is normal or abnormal, wherein normal flow is defined as a flow rate within a range of the reference airflow rate and abnormal flow is defined as a flow rate that deviates from the reference airflow rate range, and wherein normal flow correlates with a normal level of negative pressure applied to the wound and abnormal flow correlates with an abnormal level of negative pressure applied to the wound. 38. A system as in claim 36, wherein the suction source is a portable pump. 39. A system for applying negative pressure therapy to a wound, comprising: a wound dressing including a wound cover sealable to skin surrounding the wound; a portable suction pump for providing suction to a conduit operatively associated with the wound dressing to communicate suction to the wound, the pump comprising a flow rate monitor to detect the flow rate in the conduit; a waste collector disposed in the conduit between the wound dressing and the suction pump for collecting liquids aspirated from the wound, the waste collector being releasably supported by a docking station on the pump; a pressure transducer for sensing pressure at the pump; a pressure controller for controlling the pump to maintain the pressure at the pump in a range around a pressure setpoint; and a vent located in the conduit on the wound side of the waste collector to provide a reference airflow to the flow rate monitor such that the flow rate monitor detects occlusion in the system, including in the conduit between the wound dressing and the waste collector, when the flow rate deviates below a range about the reference flow rate and such that the flow rate monitor detects leakage in the system when the flow rate deviates above a range about the reference flow rate. 40. A system as in claim 39, wherein the flow monitor detects whether or not the flow rate in the conduit deviates from a range about a reference airflow rate by measuring the number of pump revolutions over a period of time. 41. A system for applying negative pressure therapy to a wound, comprising: a wound dressing including a wound cover sealable to skin surrounding the wound; a portable suction pump for providing suction to a conduit operatively associated with the wound dressing to communicate suction to the wound, the pump comprising a flow rate monitor to detect the flow rate in the conduit; a waste collector disposed in the conduit between the wound dressing and the suction pump for collecting liquids aspirated from the wound, the waste collector being releasably supported by a docking station on the pump; and a vent located in the conduit on the wound side of the waste collector to provide a reference airflow to the flow rate monitor such that the flow rate monitor detects occlusion in the system, including in the conduit between the wound dressing and the waste collector, when the flow rate deviates below a range about the reference flow rate and such that the flow rate monitor detects leakage in the system when the flow rate deviates above a range about the reference flow rate. 42. A system for applying negative pressure therapy to a wound, comprising: a wound dressing including a wound cover sealable to skin surrounding the wound; a portable suction pump for providing suction to a conduit operatively associated with the wound dressing to communicate suction to the wound, the pump comprising a flow rate monitor to detect the flow rate in the conduit; a waste collector disposed in the conduit between the wound dressing and the suction pump for collecting liquids aspirated from the wound; a pressure transducer for sensing pressure at the pump; a pressure controller for controlling the pump to maintain the pressure at the pump in a range around a pressure setpoint; and a vent located in the conduit on the wound side of the waste collector to provide a reference airflow to the flow rate monitor such that the flow rate monitor detects occlusion in the system, including in the conduit between the wound dressing and the waste collector, when the flow rate deviates below a range about the reference flow rate and such that the flow rate monitor detects leakage in the system when the flow rate deviates above a range about the reference flow rate.