Mechanical vacuum dressing for mechanically managing, protecting and suctioning small incisional wounds

Abstract

A mechanical vacuum dressing comprising: a first valve layer comprising a first one-way valve; a second valve layer comprising a second one-way valve; the first valve layer being joined to the second valve layer so as to define a chamber therebetween; the first one-way valve being configured to admit fluid into the chamber through the first one-way valve but prevent fluid from exiting the chamber through the first one-way valve; the second one-way valve being configured to exhaust fluid from the chamber through the second one-way valve but prevent fluid from entering the chamber through the second one-way valve; and the second valve layer comprising an elastomeric material such that (i) when the second valve layer is moved away from the first valve layer, the volume of the chamber is increased, and (ii) when the second valve layer is thereafter released, the second valve layer moves back towards the first valve layer and the volume of the chamber is decreased.

1 .- 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A mechanical vacuum dressing comprising:
 a base for releasable fixation to tissue surrounding a wound;   absorptive material carried by the base and configured to contact the wound and receive exudates from the wound;   an outer occlusive layer connected to the base for sealing the wound; and   a peristaltic pump for evacuating the area between the absorptive material and the outer occlusive layer so as to pull exudates from the wound.   
     
     
         28 . A method for providing negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), the method comprising:
 providing a mechanical vacuum dressing comprising:
 a base for releasable fixation to tissue surrounding a wound; 
 absorptive material carried by the base and configured to contact the wound and receive exudates from the wound; 
 an outer occlusive layer connected to the base for sealing the wound; and 
 a peristaltic pump for evacuating the area between the absorptive material and the outer occlusive layer so as to pull exudates from the wound; 
   positioning the mechanical vacuum dressing against tissue so that the absorptive material carried by the base contacts the wound; and   using the peristaltic pump to provide suction to the area between the absorptive material and the outer occlusive layer so as to pull exudates from the wound.   
     
     
         29 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein the base comprises a flexible material having an opening. 
     
     
         32 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 31  wherein the flexible material comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         33 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 32  further comprising a peel-away liner removably disposed on the adhesive. 
     
     
         34 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 31  wherein the absorptive material is disposed in the opening in the base. 
     
     
         35 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein the absorptive material comprises at least one from the group consisting of a woven dressing, a non-woven dressing, and a foam dressing. 
     
     
         36 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein the absorptive material comprises at least one from the group consisting of antimicrobials, growth factors and other healing agents. 
     
     
         37 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein the peristaltic pump is connected to the outer occlusive layer by a flange elbow connector. 
     
     
         38 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein the peristaltic pump is selectively detachable from the outer occlusive layer. 
     
     
         39 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein the peristaltic pump is permanently mounted to the outer occlusive layer. 
     
     
         40 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein exudates are pulled from the wound by rotating the peristaltic pump to create suction within the absorptive material. 
     
     
         41 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  wherein the peristaltic pump comprises a pump outer housing and a pump inner housing, and further wherein the pump inner housing is rotatable relative to the pump outer housing. 
     
     
         42 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 41  further comprising a crank key for rotating the pump inner housing relative to the pump outer housing. 
     
     
         43 . The mechanical vacuum dressing of  claim 27  further comprising a one-way valve for preventing air from passing through the peristaltic pump mechanism and into the wound. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising removing a release liner from the base before positioning the mechanical vacuum dressing against tissue. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising connecting the peristaltic pump to the occlusive layer before using the peristaltic pump to provide suction to the area between the absorptive material and the outer occlusive layer. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 28  wherein using the peristaltic pump comprises rotating a portion of the peristaltic pump to provide suction to the area between the absorptive material and the outer occlusive layer. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the peristaltic pump further comprises a crank key for rotating a portion of the peristaltic pump.