US 11,375,923 B2 · Systems and methods for monitoring wound closure

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems, devices and methods for monitoring dimensional changes in medical devices attached to or implanted in the body, such as wound fillers. Disclosed embodiments may facilitate measuring the degree of wound closure by incorporating conductive elements into the wound filler. In some embodiments, the conductive elements may be conductive filler, a flexible conductive element, or an arrangement of discrete non-flexible conductive elements. The density of conductive material in an area or volume of the wound filler upon wound closure may be detected by a detection device that assesses the local dielectric constant of the wound filler, such as through use of a capacitive plate, or by a detection device that measures the resonant frequency of a conductive element.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A wound therapy system comprising:

a wound filler configured to be at least partially inserted into a wound;
a conductive element coupled to the wound filler, wherein a density of the conductive element increases within a detection area of the wound filler upon compression of the wound filler;
and
a detection device configured to assess a degree of wound closure based on a measurement of the density of the conductive element in the detection area, wherein the density is dependent on the amount of compression of the wound filler,
wherein the measurement comprises a measurement of the dielectric constant of the detection area of the wound filler, and wherein the dielectric constant changes based on a compression of the conductive element as a result of the compression of the wound filler.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for monitoring wound closure

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for monitoring wound closure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17