# US 11,992,602 B2 · Changing therapy devices or wound dressings in reduced pressure wound therapy

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- Number: US 11,992,602 B2
- Document ID: US11992602B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/312,775
- Filed: 2019-12-11
- Published: 2022-02-17
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-14
- Assignees: T.J.Smith and Nephew, Limited
- Applicants: T.J.Smith and Nephew, Limited
- Inventors: Felix Clarence Quintanar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992602B2

## CPC

- A61M 1/985: {the dressing itself forming the collection container}
- A61M 1/966: {having a pressure sensor on or near the dressing}
- A61M 1/98: {Containers specifically adapted for negative pressure wound therapy}
- G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- A61M 1/96: {Suction control thereof}
- A61M 1/962: {having pumping means on the suction site, e.g. miniature pump on dressing or dressing capable of exerting suction}
- A61M 1/982: {with means for detecting level of collected exudate}
- A61M 1/984: {portable on the body}
- A61M 2205/33: Controlling, regulating or measuring
- A61M 2205/3327: Measuring
- A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate
- A61M 2205/3344: Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
- A61M 2205/3379: Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
- A61M 2205/3553: remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
- A61M 2205/581: by audible feedback
- A61M 2205/582: by tactile feedback
- A61M 2205/583: by visual feedback
- 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)}
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a wound is disclosed. The apparatus can include a housing, a pressure source, a canister, and a controller. The pressure source can be supported by the housing and provide negative pressure via a fluid flow path to a wound dressing positioned over a wound. The canister can collect exudate from the wound. The controller can monitor a parameter indicative of providing negative pressure to the wound dressing with the pressure source, determine from the parameter that the wound is treatable with a canisterless wound therapy apparatus, and output for presentation to a user a notification indicating that the wound is treatable with the canisterless wound therapy apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a wound, the apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a pressure source supported by the housing and configured to provide negative pressure via a fluid flow path to a wound covered by a wound dressing positioned over the wound;
a canister configured to be in fluid communication with the wound dressing via the fluid flow path and collect fluid from the wound; and
a controller configured to:
cause the pressure source to provide a negative pressure therapy to the wound and extract at least some of the fluid from the wound into the canister,
monitor a number of changes of the canister during a provision of the negative pressure therapy to the wound,
determine from the number of changes of the canister that the wound is treatable with a canisterless wound therapy, the canisterless wound therapy involving supply of negative pressure to the wound without use of any canister, and
output for presentation to a user a notification indicating that the wound is treatable with the canisterless wound therapy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to monitor the number of changes of the canister.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine from a comparison of the number of changes of the canister to a threshold that the wound is treatable with the canisterless wound therapy.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canister is supported by the housing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A system comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and, a canisterless wound therapy apparatus configured to perform the canisterless wound therapy, the canisterless wound therapy apparatus comprising an accompanying pressure source and being configured to operate in combination with an accompanying wound dressing that has a different fluid capacity than the wound dressing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display supported by the housing and configured to present the notification.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a forecast of exudate collection from the wound and output the forecast for presentation to the user.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to update a treatment plan for the user in response to determining that the wound is treatable with the canisterless wound therapy.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the wound is treatable with the canisterless wound therapy further from information received about a patient that has the wound.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canister comprises one or more feet, the one or more feet comprising rubber or silicone.

### Claim 11

A method of operating a wound therapy device, the method comprising:
collecting, by a canister in fluid communication via a fluid flow path with a wound dressing positioned over a wound, fluid from the fluid flow path;
causing a pressure source to provide a negative pressure therapy to the wound and extract at least some of the fluid from the wound into the canister;
monitoring a number of changes of the canister during a provision of the negative pressure therapy to the wound;
determining from the number of changes of the canister that the wound is treatable with a canisterless wound therapy, the canisterless wound therapy involving supply of negative pressure to the wound without use of any canister; and
outputting for presentation to a user a notification indicating that the wound is treatable with the canisterless wound therapy.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring the number of changes of the canister with a sensor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein said determining comprises determining from a comparison of the number of changes of the canister to a threshold that the wound is treatable with the canisterless wound therapy.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising, subsequent to said outputting, causing a canisterless wound therapy apparatus to perform the canisterless wound therapy on the wound using an accompanying pressure source of the canisterless wound therapy apparatus and an accompanying wound dressing that has a different fluid capacity than the wound dressing.