Ph sensing for sensor enabled negative pressure wound monitoring and therapy apparatuses
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsEmma Rhian Cole, Nicholas Charlton Fry, Allan Kenneth Frazer Grugeon Hunt, Marcus Damian Phillips, Daniel Lee Steward
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of apparatuses, systems, methods for monitoring wound pH are disclosed. In some embodiments, a wound dressing includes one or more optical sensors configured to measure a change in color of a pH-sensitive adhesive that changes color in response to changes in wound exudate pH. In some embodiments, the wound dressing may further comprise hydrophilic channels that direct wound exudate to a pH-sensitive material over the optical sensors. Such dressings may also be used in combination with a negative pressure wound therapy system.
Claims18
A wound monitoring system, comprising:
- a wound dressing configured to be positioned in contact with a wound, the wound dressing comprising an optical pH sensor configured to measure a color of a pH-sensitive material and an optical reference sensor configured to measure the color of a reference material, the optical pH sensor and the optical reference sensor each positioned on an underside of the dressing;
- wherein the pH-sensitive material is positioned directly on the optical pH sensor, the pH-sensitive material configured to change color in response to a change in a pH of the wound;
- wherein the reference material is configured to maintain a stable color when exposed to wound exudate, the reference material positioned such that it is measurable by the optical reference sensor;
- and
- a controller configured to normalize the color measured by the optical pH sensor with the color of the reference material and convert the color measured by the optical pH sensor to a pH value.
A method of monitoring the pH of a wound, comprising:
- monitoring at least one of a wound or skin surrounding a wound with a wound dressing positioned in contact with the wound or skin surrounding the wound, the wound dressing comprising a pH-sensitive material configured to change color in response to a change in a pH of the wound and an optical pH sensor configured to detect a color change of the pH-sensitive material, the optical pH sensor positioned on an underside of the wound dressing and coated in the pH-sensitive material;
- monitoring a reference material with an optical reference sensor positioned on the underside of the wound dressing, the optical reference sensor configured to measure a color of the reference material;
- and
- computing with a processor a pH value based on the detected color change from the optical sensor and normalizing the detected color change with the color of the reference material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.