Hypobaric chamber treatment system

Abstract

A reduced pressure treatment appliance is provided for enclosing and providing reduced pressure treatment to an object or a portion of an object. In some embodiments, the reduced pressure treatment appliance may be used to treat wounds and other conditions, such as lymphedema, varicose veins, venous insufficiency and stasis, and other infirmities. In other embodiments, the appliance may be used to provide reduced pressure (or vacuum) treatment for non-medical purposes. In some embodiments, the appliance comprises a flexible chamber and a collapsible frame that may be collapsed while the appliance is not in use. In yet other embodiments, the appliance also includes a vacuum system to supply reduced pressure to the volume within the chamber, a pressurized fluid system to inflate the collapsible frame, a drainage system to remove fluids from the appliance, and a treatment port and a forced entry treatment system to introduce fluids and other treatment instrumentalities into the volume within the chamber. In still other embodiments, the chamber is designed for use with distal extremital portions of a body. In further embodiments, the appliance also comprises a semi-permeable liner positioned between the chamber and the portion of a body to be treated. Finally, methods are provided for using various embodiments of the appliance.

1 . An appliance for administering reduced pressure treatment to a digit of a distal extremital portion of a body, the appliance comprising:
 a rigid or semi-rigid chamber extending between an opening at a proximal end and a substantially closed distal end, the chamber having a substantially cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section along its length, wherein the rigid or semi-rigid chamber is sized to enclose at least a portion of a digit of the distal extremital portion of the body and adapted to maintain reduced pressure within the volume of the rigid or semi-rigid chamber;   a sealing mechanism at the proximal end of the chamber, the sealing mechanism comprising a flexible sleeve configured to receive at least a portion of the digit therethrough to seal the opening so that reduced pressure may be maintained within the volume of the rigid or semi-rigid chamber; and   a reduced pressure supply mechanism that operably connects the rigid or semi-rigid chamber to a reduced pressure supply source via a port on the chamber, the reduced pressure supply source configured to provide a supply of reduced pressure to the rigid or semi-rigid chamber so that the volume within the rigid or semi-rigid chamber is supplied with reduced pressure by the reduced pressure supply source and wound exudate is removed from the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the appliance further comprises an ancillary treatment system operably attached to the rigid or semi-rigid chamber, the ancillary treatment system configured to introduce fluids into the volume within the rigid or semi-rigid chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the ancillary treatment system is configured to introduce air or gas into the chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the air or gas is heated or cooled in an amount sufficient to raise or lower the temperature of the digit of the distal extremital portion of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the reduced pressure supply source is a vacuum pump. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the reduced pressure supply source is a suction bulb system. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the digit of the distal extremital portion is a human finger. 
     
     
         8 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the digit of the distal extremital portion is a human toe. 
     
     
         9 . The appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid impermeable or semi-permeable liner operably disposed between the chamber and the portion of the body positioned within the chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The appliance of  claim 9 , further comprising a sealing mechanism to seal the fluid impermeable or semi-permeable liner and the portion of the body positioned within the chamber so that reduced pressure may be maintained within the volume of the chamber and the volume of the liner. 
     
     
         11 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible sleeve is conical or frustoconical in shape. 
     
     
         12 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible sleeve comprises a stretchable material. 
     
     
         13 . A method of administering reduced pressure treatment to a digit of a distal extremital portion of a body, the method comprising:
 positioning the digit to be treated within an appliance, the appliance comprising:
 a rigid or semi-rigid chamber having an opening, wherein the chamber is sized to at least partially enclose the digit to be treated, configured to support the chamber away from the digit to be treated while the appliance is in use, and adapted to maintain reduced pressure within the volume of the chamber; a sealing mechanism to seal the opening so that reduced pressure may be maintained within the volume of the chamber; and a reduced pressure supply mechanism to operably connect the chamber to a reduced pressure supply source that provides a supply of reduced pressure to the chamber, so that the volume within the chamber is supplied with reduced pressure by the reduced pressure supply source; 
   sealing the opening of the chamber about the digit using the sealing mechanism, so that reduced pressure may be maintained in the volume within the chamber;   operably connecting the chamber with the reduced pressure supply source using the reduced pressure supply mechanism so that reduced pressure is supplied to the volume within the chamber;   evacuating wound exudate from the chamber using the reduced pressure supply source; and   maintaining the reduced pressure in the volume within the chamber until the digit being treated has progressed toward a selected stage of treatment.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising collecting wound exudate in a container disposed between the chamber and the reduced pressure supply source. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of applying ancillary treatment to the digit, the ancillary treatment comprising a system configured to introduce fluids into the volume of the chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the ancillary treatment comprises introducing air or gas into the volume of the chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of heating or cooling the air or gas introduced into the volume of the chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of removing the digit from the appliance after the selected stage of treatment has been reached.