Negative pressure device and method

Abstract

A negative pressure device includes a drape, a wicking element, a sealing element, a reactor, a chamber and an air permeable liquid impervious element. The drape includes an opening and is made from a flexible material that inhibits passage of liquid and air through the drape other than through the opening. The wicking element is covered by the drape. The sealing element surrounds the wicking element and cooperates with the drape to define an enclosed volume covered by the drape and surrounded by the sealing element. Air within the enclosed volume is inhibited from exiting the enclosed volume other than through the opening. The reactor is configured to react with a gas found in air to consume the gas. The chamber is in fluid communication with the reactor and the enclosed volume via the opening. The chamber is configured to maintain a predefined chamber volume while the gas is being consumed from the enclosed volume.

1 . A wound covering assembly comprising:
 a thin, flexible wound drape having adhesive on a skin contacting surface configured to contact skin around a wound site, the wound drape including at least one opening;   a sealing element positioned between the skin contacting surface and the skin when the wound drape is affixed to skin around the wound site, the sealing element being configured to prevent migration of air and liquid toward the wound site under the wound drape and over the skin;   a pump drape configured to inhibit passage of air and liquid through the pump drape and to affix to the wound drape or the skin around the wound site and cover the opening in the wound drape so as to define an enclosed volume around the wound site; and   a reactor covered by the pump drape and configured to react with a selected gas found in air and consume the selected gas so as to reduce pressure within the enclosed volume.   
     
     
         2 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising adhesive on a lower side of the pump drape. 
     
     
         3 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump gasket on the lower side of the pump drape, wherein the adhesive and the pump gasket are configured to preclude ingress of air between the pump drape and the wound drape when the pump drape is affixed to the wound drape or to preclude ingress of air between the pump drape and the skin when the pump drape is affixed to the skin. 
     
     
         4 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a pump drape release liner that covers the adhesive and the pump gasket, wherein the pump drape release liner is removed from the pump drape prior to affixing the pump drape to the wound drape or the skin. 
     
     
         5 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump drape release liner that covers the adhesive, wherein the pump drape release liner is removed from the pump drape prior to affixing the pump drape to the wound drape or the skin. 
     
     
         6 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a removable seal layer that prevents the reactor from being exposed to ambient atmosphere until after removal of the removable seal layer. 
     
     
         7 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the pump drape release liner is attached to the removable seal layer so that removal of the pump drape release liner from the pump drape results in removal of the removable seal layer exposing the reactor to ambient atmosphere. 
     
     
         8 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable seal layer that prevents the reactor from being exposed to ambient atmosphere until after removal of the removable seal layer. 
     
     
         9 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a spacer element configured to maintain spacing between the pump drape and the wound drape when reduced pressure is applied within the enclosed volume. 
     
     
         10 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the pump drape is a thin film. 
     
     
         11 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pump drape is a thin film. 
     
     
         12 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pump drape is affixed to the wound drape. 
     
     
         13 . The wound covering assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wound drape is a thin film. 
     
     
         14 . A method of treating a wound site, the method comprising:
 affixing a lower surface of a wound covering membrane to skin surrounding the wound site, the wound covering membrane including at least one opening in the wound covering membrane; and   affixing a pump drape of a pump assembly to the wound covering membrane or skin to cover the at least one opening in the wound covering membrane, wherein the pump assembly includes a reactor configured to react with a selected gas found in air and the pump drape covers the reactor.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the pump assembly includes a removable seal layer that prevents the reactor from being exposed to ambient atmosphere until after removal of the removable seal layer, wherein the reactor consumes the selected gas, and the method further comprising:
 removing the removable seal layer and exposing the reactor to ambient prior to affixing the pump assembly to the wound covering membrane or skin.