Normothermic tissue treatment
AssigneeArizant Healthcare Inc.
InventorScott D. Augustine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A non-contact controllable heater wound covering and method having a peripheral sealing ring covered by a layer to which is attached a heater and this assembly is attached to the skin with an adhesive so that the heater is held proximate the wound area in a non-contact position. The layer and peripheral sealing ring together define a treatment volume proximate the wound. The wound covering includes a programmable active heater control and the sealing ring may dispense water to control the humidity of the treatment volume. One form of active heat is an electrical resistive filament in variable geometric shapes providing versatility in application of heat to different types of wounds and wound area geometries. Another form of active heat is the transfer of a heated gas to the wound covering.
Claims47
A wound covering for application to a selected treatment area of a patient's body, said wound covering comprising:
- a heater suitable for providing heat to the selected treatment area;
- flexible attachment means for attaching the heater in a non-contact position proximate the selected treatment area;
- and
- means, operably connected to the heater, for controlling the temperature of the heater in a temperature range from above ambient temperature to about 38° C.
A wound covering for application to a selected treatment area of a patient's body, said wound covering comprising:
- a heater layer suitable for providing heat to the selected treatment area;
- means for attaching the heater layer in a non-contact position proximate the selected treatment area;
- and
- means, operably connected to the heater layer, for controlling the temperature of the heater layer in a temperature range from above ambient temperature to about 38° C.
A wound covering for application to a selected treatment area of a patient's body, said wound covering comprising:
- a heater suitable for providing heat to the selected treatment area;
- flexible attachment means for attaching the heater in a non-contact position proximate the selected treatment area;
- and
- means, operably connected to the heater, for controlling the average temperature of the heater in a temperature range from above ambient room temperature to about 38° C.
A wound covering for application to a selected wound area of a patient's body, said wound covering comprising:
- a heater layer suitable for providing heat to the selected wound area;
- means for attaching the heater layer in a non-contact position proximate the selected wound area;
- and
- means, operably connected to the heater layer, for controlling the average temperature of the heater layer in a temperature range from above ambient room temperature to about 38° C.
A method for treating a skin wound of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a wound treatment area of the patient's skin including the wound;
- providing a heater;
- providing a controller operably connected to the heater;
- attaching the heater proximate the selected wound treatment area in a non-contact position;
- heating the heater over at least a portion of selected treatment area;
- and
- controlling the heater so as to have a temperature in a range from above ambient temperature to about 38° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.