Pressure monitoring system and method

Abstract

A pressure monitoring system and method for warning a patient or caregiver that soft tissue pressure has exceeded some predetermined level that over time would necessitate moving the patient to prevent or at least reduce a risk of soft tissue damage. The pressure monitoring system and method utilize a dressing assembly adapted to be applied to or near a surface of the patient's body and generate electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed at the surface. The dressing assembly includes a pocket formed therein for removable, secured and protected insertion of one or more sensors.

1 . A pressure monitoring system for providing a warning to a patient or caregiver that the patient needs attention to at least reduce a risk of soft tissue damage to the patient, the pressure monitoring system comprising a dressing assembly comprising:
 a patient facing layer with an adhesive on a first side thereof that attaches the dressing assembly to the skin of a patient or to another dressing;   a foam layer overlying the patient-facing layer and having an opening therein that defines a pocket;   a pocket cover layer overlying the foam layer and releasably closing the pocket to enable access to the pocket, the pocket cover layer having a foam pad that protrudes into the pocket when the pocket cover layer releasably closes the pocket;   a top layer overlying the pocket cover layer; and   at least a first sensor within the pocket, enclosed by the patient-facing layer, the foam layer, and the pocket cover layer, and held in place within the pocket by the foam pad, the first sensor generating electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed by the first sensor at the surface of the patient's body.   
     
     
         2 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 1 , the pressure monitoring system further comprising:
 means for wirelessly monitoring a plurality of the electrical outputs generated by the first sensor; and   means for generating an alarm when the electrical outputs generated by the first sensor exceed a predetermined pressure level.   
     
     
         3 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 2 , wherein the first sensor generates the electrical outputs only if the soft tissue pressure exceeds the predetermined pressure level. 
     
     
         4 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 2 , wherein the first sensor generates the electrical outputs at an identical output level regardless of how much the soft tissue pressure exceeds the predetermined pressure level. 
     
     
         5 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 2 , wherein the means for wirelessly monitoring the plurality of the electrical outputs generated by the pressure-sensitive pad assembly comprises the first sensor wirelessly transmitting the electrical outputs to a tablet, a smartphone, a computer, a server, or a wireless converter box that is physically separate from the first sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 2 , wherein the first sensor comprises at least one dome sensor comprising conductive circuitry that is electrically shorted if the predetermined pressure level is exceeded. 
     
     
         7 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one dome sensor is adapted to collapse and electrically short the conductive circuitry if subjected to a collapsing force of at least forty grams. 
     
     
         8 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pocket cover layer is configured to be lifted off the foam layer to access the pocket to insert and remove the first sensor therein. 
     
     
         9 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 1 , wherein the patient facing layer is oval-shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The pressure monitoring system according to  claim 9 , wherein the patient facing layer further comprises a first flap extending therefrom and a second flap extending therefrom so as to be opposite the first flap. 
     
     
         11 . A method of monitoring electrical outputs and providing a warning to a patient or caregiver that the patient needs attention, the method comprising:
 applying a dressing assembly to a surface of the patient's body, the dressing assembly comprising at least a first sensor embedded in the dressing assembly, a patient facing layer with an adhesive on a first side thereof that attaches the dressing assembly to the skin of a patient or to another dressing, a foam layer overlying the patient-facing layer and having an opening therein that defines a pocket, a pocket cover layer overlying the foam layer and releasably closing the pocket to enable access to the pocket, the pocket cover layer having a foam pad that protrudes into the pocket when the pocket cover layer releasably closes the pocket, a top layer overlying the pocket cover layer, the first sensor being within the pocket, enclosed by the patient-facing layer, the foam layer, and the pocket cover layer, and held in place within the pocket by the foam pad, the first sensor generating electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed by the first sensor at the surface of the patient's body;   monitoring the electrical outputs generated by the first sensor; and   generating an alert if the electrical outputs exceeds a threshold level.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the monitoring of the electrical outputs generated by the first sensor comprises wirelessly transmitting the electrical outputs from the first sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , the method further comprising lifting the pocket cover layer to access the pocket to insert and remove the first sensor therein. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the patient facing layer is oval-shaped and the surface to which the dressing assembly is applied is a bony prominence of the patient's body. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the patient facing layer is oval-shaped and the surface to which the dressing assembly is applied is a heel or elbow of the patient's body. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the patient facing layer further comprises a first flap extending therefrom and a second flap extending therefrom so as to be opposite the first flap, the surface to which the dressing assembly is applied is a heel or elbow of the patient's body, and the method further comprises wrapping the first and second flaps around first and second portions of the patient to secure the dressing assembly to the heel or elbow of the patient.