# US 10,245,185 B2 · Wound contacting members and methods

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,245,185 B2
- Document ID: US10245185B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/124,613
- Filed: 2012-06-07
- Published: 2014-10-02
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-07
- Assignees: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
- Applicants: John Kenneth Hicks; Elizabeth Mary Huddleston
- Inventors: John Kenneth Hicks; Elizabeth Mary Huddleston
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245185B2

## CPC

- A61M 1/915: {Constructional details of the pressure distribution manifold}
- A61F 13/05: specially adapted for use with sub-pressure or over-pressure therapy, wound drainage or wound irrigation, e.g. for use with negative-pressure wound therapy [NPWT]
- A61M 1/916: {specially adapted for deep wounds}
- A61F 2013/00174: {possibility of applying pressure}
- A61F 2013/0028: {applying of mechanical pressure; passive massage}
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

Wound contacting members and methods, apparatuses, systems and kits incorporating the same are disclosed. The wound contacting members offer improved performance in terms of preventing or inhibiting tissue in-growth and improving tissue granulation growth. The wound contacting members may be used in negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) applications.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wound contacting member for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) selected to reduce pain upon removal from a wound, comprising:
a foam, the foam comprising:
a network of foam strut elements separated by pores, at least 95% of the strut elements comprising a thickness of between 0.007 and 0.5 mm;
wherein one or more foam strut elements comprise a thickness of 0.23 mm or more; and
wherein at least 90% of the pores comprise a diameter of between 2.3 and 5.5 mm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wound contacting member of claim 1, wherein the wound contacting member has a pore count of between 5 and 25 ppi.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wound contacting member of claim 1, wherein at least 10% of the strut elements have a thickness of 0.23 mm or more.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wound contacting member of claim 1, wherein the wound contacting member has a compressive strain at −120 mmHg of between 50±5% and 90%±5%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wound contacting member of claim 1, wherein the strut elements have a total surface area of between 30 and 150 mm2 in a 126 mm3 volume.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wound contacting member of claim 1, wherein the wound contacting member promotes granulation tissue growth at a wound bed simultaneously with the prevention or reduction of tissue in-growth into the wound contacting member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wound contacting member of claim 1, wherein the wound contacting member has a density between 0.03 and 0.04 g·cm−3.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An apparatus for treating wounds in a human or animal subject by negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), comprising:
the wound contacting member of claim 1; and
a cover member configured to form a sealed enclosure around the wound contacting member when the wound contacting member is applied to a wound bed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a connection device for placing the enclosure in fluid communication with a vacuum source.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A method for treating a wound, comprising applying the wound contacting member of claim 1 to a wound bed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising applying a cover over the wound contacting member to form a sealed enclosure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of applying negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) to the wound bed.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising promoting granulation tissue growth at the wound bed simultaneously with preventing or reducing tissue in-growth into the wound contacting member.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, comprising applying negative pressure to the wound for at least 72 hours in the range of −40 mmHg to −200 mmHg, the negative pressure and the wound contacting member promoting the growth of granulation tissue at the wound, wherein the negative pressure causes the wound contacting member to compress to decrease a void volume and increase a strut volume.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising removing the cover and the wound contacting member from the wound, wherein a force required to remove the wound contacting member from the wound is less than 5 mN.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the application of negative pressure to the wound causes the wound contacting member to indent into tissue of the wound by 950±50 μm to 1000±50 μm.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein prior to applying negative pressure, the wound contacting member has a pore volume of 90±5% to 98±5% of the total volume, and after applying negative pressure for at least 72 hours, the wound contacting member has a pore volume of 70±5% to 90±5% of the total volume.