Reduced pressure treatment system

An appliance for administering a reduced pressure treatment to a wound, comprising:

• (a) an impermeable cover adapted to cover and enclose the wound and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound;
• (b) a seal adapted to seal the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• and
• (c) reduced pressure supply means for connection to a source of suction, said reduced pressure supply means cooperating with the cover to supply the reduced pressure beneath the cover, wherein the reduced pressure supply means comprises an absorbable matrix and the reduced pressure supply means includes a segment of tubing embedded within the absorbable matrix.

An appliance for administering a reduced pressure treatment to a wound, comprising:

• (a) an impermeable cover adapted to cover and enclose the wound and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound, wherein the cover includes pressure monitoring means to monitor the pressure at the site of the wound;
• (b) a seal adapted to seal the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• and
• (c) reduced pressure supply means for connection to a source of suction, said reduced pressure supply means cooperating with the cover to supply the reduced pressure beneath the cover.

An appliance for administering a reduced pressure treatment to a wound, comprising:

• (a) an impermeable cover adapted to cover and enclose the wound and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound;
• (b) a seal adapted to seal the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• (c) reduced pressure supply means for connection to a source of suction, said reduced pressure supply means cooperating with the cover to supply the reduced pressure beneath the cover;
• and
• (d) temperature measuring means to monitor the temperature of tissue at and surrounding the wound.

An apparatus for treating a wound comprising:

• (a) a vacuum system adapted to produce a reduced pressure;
• (b) a collection system that is operably connected to the vacuum system, wherein the collection system is comprised of a container that collects fluid aspirated from the wound and means for halting the application of reduced pressure to the wound when the fluid exceeds a predetermined quantity;
• and
• (c) a reduced pressure appliance operably connected with the collection system adapted to apply the reduced pressure to the wound, the appliance comprising:
• (i) an impermeable cover adapted to cover and enclose the wound and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound;
• (ii) a seal adapted to seal the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• (iii) reduced pressure supply means for connection with the vacuum system adapted to supply the reduced pressure within the cover to the wound;
• and
• (iv) an absorbable matrix to prevent overgrowth of wound tissue, the absorbable matrix being located between the wound and the cover.

An apparatus for treating a wound comprising:

• (a) a vacuum system adapted to produce a reduced pressure;
• (b) a collection system that is operably connected to the vacuum system, wherein the collection system is comprised of a container that collects fluid aspirated from the wound and means for halting the application of reduced pressure to the wound when the fluid exceeds a predetermined quantity;
• and
• (c) a reduced pressure appliance operably connected with the vacuum system adapted to apply the reduced pressure to the wound, the appliance comprising:
• (i) an impermeable cover adapted to cover and enclose the wound and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound, wherein the cover includes pressure monitoring means to monitor the pressure at the site of the wound;
• (ii) a seal adapted to seal the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• and
• (iii) reduced pressure supply means for connection with the vacuum system adapted to supply the reduced pressure within the cover to the wound.

An apparatus for treating a wound comprising:

• (a) a vacuum system adapted to produce a reduced pressure;
• (b) a collection system that is operably connected to the vacuum system, wherein the collection system is comprised of a container that collects fluid aspirated from the wound and means for halting the application of reduced pressure to the wound when the fluid exceeds a predetermined quantity;
• and
• (c) a reduced pressure appliance operably connected with the vacuum system adapted to apply the reduced pressure to the wound, the appliance comprising:
• (i) an impermeable cover adapted to cover and enclose the wound and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound;
• (ii) a seal adapted to seal the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• (iii) reduced pressure supply means for connection with the vacuum system adapted to supply the reduced pressure within the cover to the wound;
• and
• (iv) temperature measuring means to monitor the temperature of tissue at and surrounding the site of the wound.

A portable apparatus for treating a wound, comprising:

• (a) a reduced pressure wound treatment appliance, comprising:
• (i) an impermeable cover adapted to cover and enclose the wound and adapted to maintain reduced pressure at the site of the wound;
• and
• (ii) a seal adapted to seal the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• and
• (b) a compact vacuum source adapted to be attached to the surface of the cover and adapted to produce reduced pressure;
• (c) a portable collection system, comprising:
• (i) a container adapted to maintain reduced pressure within its volume and adapted to collect fluid aspirated from the wound;
• and
• (ii) shutoff means for halting application of reduced pressure to the wound when the fluid exceeds a predetermined quantity;
• and
• (d) vacuum source means to operably connect the vacuum source to the portable collection system;
• and
• (e) reduced pressure means to operably connect the portable collection system to the reduced pressure appliance.

A method of treating a wound, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a reduced pressure to the wound, wherein said applying step comprises the steps of:
• (i) placing an absorbable matrix into the wound;
• (ii) locating an impermeable cover over the wound, wherein the cover has a suction port;
• (iii) sealing the periphery of the cover to tissue surrounding the wound;
• and
• (iv) operably connecting the suction port with a vacuum system for producing the reduced pressure;
• and
• (b) maintaining the reduced pressure until the wound has progressed toward a selected stage of healing.