Wound therapy device and method

Inventors

Donda, Russell S. • Manickam, Sundar • Middaugh, Richard L. • Lash, Thomas E. • Wojciechowski, Timothy • Wolter, John D. • Buan, John

Assignees

Aatru Medical LLC

Abstract

A wound therapy device and method includes a skin contacting element, a reactor, and a reactor housing element. The skin contacting element is configured for covering an associated tissue site, the reactor for creating a pressure condition at the associated tissue site upon actuation thereof, and the reactor housing element for accommodating the reactor. The skin contacting element has a skin contacting side and an interface side, which is opposite the skin contacting side. The reactor housing element has a lower affixing side and an upper side, which is opposite the lower affixing side.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a wound therapy device that includes an oxygen scavenger reactor configured to create a negative pressure condition at an associated tissue site upon actuation. The reactor is disposed beneath a reactor housing element and is acted upon to generate a controlled topical negative pressure environment for wound therapy.

The device further includes a skin contacting element configured for covering the tissue site, including a skin contacting side and an interface side opposite the skin contacting side, and at least one opening. The lower side of the reactor housing element is configured to be adhered to the interface side of the skin contacting element after a reactor housing release layer is removed, and a seal is interposed between the reactor housing element and the skin contacting element to provide a substantially air-tight seal while a wicking element is disposed under the skin contacting element.

A removable reactor housing release layer and a removable reactor housing arrangement are used to enable actuation and subsequent adhesion under substantially air-tight sealing conditions. The controlled pressure is achieved in an enclosed volume using an air-impermeable or selectively gas-permeable reactor housing to limit ambient air ingress, and in some embodiments include a pressure release valve and optional air-excluding package structures so that air does not reach the reactor until selectively removed.

In the disclosed method, a tissue site is covered with the skin contacting element, a reactor housing release layer is removed, and the oxygen scavenger reactor is actuated by exposing the oxygen scavenger to air; then the reactor housing element is affixed to the skin contacting element with the reactor disposed between the reactor housing element and the skin contacting element. The sequence emphasizes actuating the oxygen scavenger and then affixing the reactor housing element to form the sealed interface with the skin contacting element.

Claims Coverage

The partial content identifies two independent claims: a wound therapy device claim and a method claim. The device claim contains the core inventive features of an oxygen-scavenging reactor producing a negative pressure condition under a sealed skin-contacting assembly with a wicking element and a removable reactor housing release layer, while the method claim covers the corresponding sequence of covering, releasing, actuating by oxygen exposure, and affixing the reactor housing to the skin contacting element.

Across the identified independent claims, the inventive concept centers on using an oxygen scavenger reactor actuated by exposure to air to create a negative pressure condition at a tissue site, with the reactor enclosed beneath a sealed assembly formed between a reactor housing element and a skin contacting element. The removable reactor housing release layer and the controlled sequence of affixing after actuation define the claimed structure-and-method pairing, together with a wicking element disposed under the skin contacting element.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications