Blockage and leak detection in multiple dressing reduced pressure wound therapy systems
AssigneeT.J.Smith and Nephew, Limited
InventorFelix Clarence Quintanar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for providing negative pressure wound therapy to multiple wounds are disclosed. In some embodiments, presence of blockage in one or more fluid flow paths connecting a negative pressure source to one or more dressings can be performed. Determination of a blockage can be performed based on comparing one or more pressure measurements to at least one threshold. The at least one threshold can be determined based on detected capacities of the one or more dressings.
Claims20
A negative pressure wound therapy apparatus comprising:
- a negative pressure source configured to couple, via a plurality of fluid flow paths, to a plurality of wound dressings and provide negative pressure to the plurality of wound dressings, the plurality of fluid flow paths comprising:
- a first fluid flow path configured to fluidically connect a first wound dressing to the negative pressure source;
- and
- a second fluid flow path configured to fluidically connect a second wound dressing to the negative pressure source;
- a pressure sensor configured to obtain pressure measurements associated with the plurality of fluid flow paths;
- and
- a controller configured to operate the negative pressure source, the controller further configured to:
- determine an aggregate fluid retention capacity of the first and second wound dressings;
- determine a blockage threshold based at least in part on the aggregate fluid retention capacity;
- detect presence of a blockage in at least one of the first or second fluid flow paths based at least in part on comparing at least some of the pressure measurements to the blockage threshold;
- and
- provide an indication of the blockage in response to determining that the blockage threshold is satisfied.
A method of operating a negative pressure wound therapy apparatus comprising:
- operating a negative pressure source configured to couple, via a plurality of fluid flow paths, to a plurality of wound dressings comprising a first wound dressing and a second wound dressing, the plurality of fluid flow paths comprising a first fluid flow path configured to fluidically connect the first wound dressing to the negative pressure source and a second fluid flow path configured to fluidically connect the second wound dressing to the negative pressure source;
- determining an aggregate fluid retention capacity of the first and second wound dressings;
- and
- at a first time:
- determining a blockage threshold based at least in part on the aggregate fluid retention capacity;
- detecting presence of a blockage in at least one of the first or second fluid flow paths based at least in part on comparing at least some pressure measurements associated with the plurality of fluid flow paths to the blockage threshold and determining that the blockage threshold is satisfied;
- and
- responsive to determining that the blockage threshold is satisfied, providing an indication of the blockage,
- wherein the method is performed under control of a controller of the negative pressure wound therapy apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.