Wound cleansing apparatus in-situ

Abstract

An apparatus for cleansing wounds, in which wound exudate is removed from a wound bed and selectively cleansed and returned to the wound. The cleansing means removes materials deleterious to wound healing, and the cleansed fluid, still containing materials that are beneficial in promoting wound healing, is returned to the wound bed. The associated wound dressing and cleansing means are conformable to the wound, and may have irrigant fluid circulated from a reservoir by a device for moving fluid through a flow path which passes through the dressing and a means for fluid cleansing and back to the dressing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wound therapy device, comprising:
 a housing to cover at least a portion of a wound site;   a vacuum source in fluid communication with the housing;   a porous liquid collector positioned within the housing and in communication with the wound site, the liquid collector defining a plurality of passages, wherein said liquid collector is configured to collect and retain wound exudate while simultaneously communicating negative pressure generated by the vacuum source to the wound site through the liquid collector passages;   a liquid barrier positioned between the liquid collector and the vacuum source and within the housing;   a wound interface positioned between the wound site and the liquid collector; and   a seal for sealing the housing to skin around the wound site.   
     
     
         2 . The wound therapy device of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid collector is sufficiently rigid to allow at least one of the liquid collector passages to remain open when the device is subject to a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The wound therapy device of  claim 1 , further comprising a skin protection layer for protecting a user's skin. 
     
     
         4 . The wound therapy device of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid collector comprises one of the group consisting of sorption units, foams, conformable hollow bodies, gels, and solid particulates. 
     
     
         5 . The wound therapy device of  claim 4 , further comprising a cleansing fluid in communication with the liquid collector. 
     
     
         6 . The wound therapy device of  claim 4 , wherein the liquid collector comprises a reticulated filtration foam. 
     
     
         7 . The wound therapy device of  claim 4 , wherein the liquid collector comprises one or more conformable hollow bodies filled with a fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The wound therapy device of  claim 1 , further comprising means for maintaining a therapeutic pressure at the wound while the liquid collector is absorbing fluid. 
     
     
         9 . A wound therapy device, comprising:
 a housing to cover at least a portion of a wound site;   a vacuum source in fluid communication with the housing;   a porous liquid collector positioned within the housing and in communication with the wound site, the liquid collector defining a plurality of passages, wherein said liquid collector is configured to collect and retain wound exudate within the housing while simultaneously communicating negative pressure generated by the vacuum source to the wound site through the liquid collector passages;   a liquid barrier positioned between the liquid collector and the vacuum source;   a cleansing fluid in communication with the liquid collector;   a wound interface positioned between the wound site and the liquid collector;   a skin protection layer;   a seal for sealing the housing to skin around the wound site; and   a pressure controller for controlling the pressure within the housing.   
     
     
         10 . A wound therapy device, comprising:
 a vacuum source module comprising a vacuum source capable of generating negative pressure and a pressure controller for controlling the amount of negative pressure;   a dressing module comprising:   a housing to cover at least a portion of a wound site;   a porous liquid collector positioned within the housing and in communication with the wound site, wherein said liquid collector is configured to collect and retain wound exudate while simultaneously communicating negative pressure generated by the vacuum source module to the wound site;   a liquid barrier positioned between the liquid collector and the vacuum source module and within the housing;   a seal for sealing the dressing module to a surface around the wound site; and   a coupling for maintaining the vacuum source module in communication with the dressing module, said coupling configured to transfer negative pressure generated by the vacuum source module to the dressing module.   
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling a wound therapy device comprising the steps of:
 providing a vacuum source module comprising a vacuum source capable of generating negative pressure and a pressure controller for controlling the amount of negative pressure;   providing a dressing module comprising:
 a housing to cover at least a portion of a wound site; 
 a porous liquid collector positioned within the housing and in communication with the wound site, wherein said liquid collector is configured to collect and retain wound exudate while simultaneously communicating negative pressure generated by the vacuum source module to the wound site; 
 a liquid barrier positioned between the liquid collector and the vacuum source module and within the housing; 
 a seal for sealing the dressing module to a surface around the wound site; 
   securing the vacuum source module to the dressing module, such that the vacuum source module transfers negative pressure to the dressing module; and   attaching the device adjacent a wound site.   
     
     
         12 . A wound therapy device, comprising:
 a backing layer to cover at least a portion of a wound site;   a vacuum source in fluid communication with the backing layer;   a porous material configured to be positioned under the backing layer and in communication with the wound site, wherein the porous material is configured to sequester wound exudate material while simultaneously communicating negative pressure generated by the vacuum source to the wound site through pores of the porous material;   a permeable membrane positioned between the porous material and the vacuum source and under the backing layer;   a polymer film positioned between the wound site and the porous material; and   a seal for sealing the backing layer to skin around the wound site.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the porous material comprises foam. 
     
     
         14 . The wound therapy device of  claim 12 , wherein the porous material is sufficiently rigid to allow at least one of the porous material pores to remain open when the device is subject to a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The wound therapy device of  claim 12 , further comprising a skin protection layer for protecting a user's skin. 
     
     
         16 . The wound therapy device of  claim 12 , wherein the porous material comprises one of the group consisting of sorption units, foams, conformable hollow bodies, gels, and solid particulates. 
     
     
         17 . The wound therapy device of  claim 16 , further comprising a cleansing fluid in communication with the porous material. 
     
     
         18 . A wound therapy device, comprising:
 a vacuum source capable of generating negative pressure and a control device for controlling the amount of negative pressure;   a dressing comprising:
 a backing layer to cover at least a portion of a wound site; 
 a porous material configured to be positioned beneath the backing layer and in communication with the wound site, wherein the porous material is configured to sequester wound exudate material while simultaneously communicating negative pressure generated by the negative pressure device to the wound site; 
 a permeable membrane positioned between the porous material and the vacuum source and under the backing layer; 
 a seal for sealing the dressing to a surface around the wound site; and 
   a connection for maintaining the negative pressure device in communication with the dressing, said connection configured to transfer negative pressure generated by the vacuum source to the dressing.   
     
     
         19 . A method of using a wound therapy device comprising the steps of:
 providing a vacuum source capable of generating negative pressure and a control device for controlling the amount of negative pressure;   providing a dressing comprising:
 a backing layer to cover at least a portion of a wound site; 
 a porous material configured to be positioned beneath the backing layer and in communication with the wound site, wherein the porous material is configured to sequester wound exudate material while simultaneously communicating negative pressure generated by the vacuum source to the wound site; 
 a permeable membrane positioned between the porous material and the backing layer; 
 a seal for sealing the dressing to a surface around the wound site; 
   securing the vacuum source to the dressing, such that the vacuum source transfers negative pressure to the dressing; and   attaching the device adjacent a wound site.