Method of Wound Treatment Using Condensation Warming

Abstract

A method of treating a wound using condensation warming is disclosed. A wound dressing is applied over the wound in which the wound dressing has an inlet and an outlet and furthermore forms a substantially airtight cover over the wound. A vapor is supplied to the wound dressing via the inlet. The wound is warmed by condensing the vapor into a condensate on a surface of the wound, thereby releasing a latent heat of vaporization. The condensate is removed from the wound dressing via the outlet.

1 . A method of treating a wound using condensation warming, the method comprising:
 applying a wound dressing over the wound, the wound dressing having an inlet and an outlet and forming a substantially airtight cover over the wound;   supplying a vapor to the wound dressing via the inlet;   warming the wound by condensing the vapor into a condensate on a surface of the wound thereby releasing a latent heat of vaporization; and   removing the condensate and any uncondensed vapor from the wound dressing via the outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the vapor supplied via the inlet is maintained at a temperature just above a temperature at which the vapor condenses, thereby promoting condensation of the vapor when the vapor comes into contact with a comparably cooler surface of the wound. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the condensing the vapor to warm the wound occurs in a self-regulating manner with condensation of the vapor and release of the latent heat of vaporization on the surface of the wound lessening as the wound warms. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the temperature of condensation is 37 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the condensate forms directly on the surface of the wound and directly warms the wound. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of evaporating a liquid from a liquid source to form the vapor prior to supplying the vapor to the wound dressing via the inlet, in which the step of evaporating absorbs the latent heat of vaporization into the vapor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the step of evaporating the liquid from the liquid source is performed by a humidifier that heats and humidifies the liquid to form the vapor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the temperature at which absorption and release of the latent heat of vaporization occurs is essentially same temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a vacuum source in fluid communication with the outlet performs the step of removing the condensate and any uncondensed vapor from the wound dressing via the outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of drawing the vapor through the wound dressing using the vacuum source exclusively, thereby eliminating a need for a positive pressure source. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the vacuum source also creates a negative pressure in the wound dressing and simultaneously performs negative pressure wound therapy on the wound. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a gas source is mixed with the vapor and wherein the gas source is an oxygen-rich gas in comparison to atmospheric air and simultaneously provides topical oxygen therapy to the wound. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of diluting wound exudates using the condensate thereby facilitating removal of the wound exudates by the vacuum source. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of removing at least one of wound debris, slough, and infectious material whereby transport of the at least one of wound debris, slough, and infectious material is facilitated by the condensate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the condensate is water. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising controlling a flow of a gas source to the inlet using a gas flow controller. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of mixing a controlled flow of oxygen and a free flow of filtered air under atmospheric pressure in at least one of a mixture space or plenum to provide a particular composition for a gas source. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising heating a dressing delivery tube to minimize condensation therein. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wound dressing is used on a foot wound and both the wound dressing and the foot wound are enclosed inside a boot or cast with the boot or cast providing off-weighting of the foot. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the condensate also provides moist wound therapy for the wound. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the method of treatment includes simultaneously:
 cleansing the wound; 
 minimizing dressing adherence; 
 applying moist wound therapy; 
 applying topical oxygen therapy; 
 applying negative pressure wound therapy; and 
 removing stagnant vapors and odors.