Apparatus and method for wound volume measurement
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorEdward Hartwell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring a volume of a wound are described, the method comprising the steps of: applying a dressing over a wound, the volume of which is to be measured, the dressing including at least a sealing drape over the wound so as to create a sealed wound cavity; creating a vacuum in said wound cavity by vacuum pump means so as to produce a predetermined vacuum in the wound cavity; measuring a volume of air extracted from said wound cavity in producing said predetermined vacuum; and, calculating a volume of said wound.
Claims19
1-10. (canceled)
A negative pressure wound therapy apparatus comprising:
- a source of negative pressure configured to provide negative pressure, via a fluid flow path, to a wound dressing placed over a wound;
- and
- a controller configured to operate the source of negative pressure, the controller further configured to:
- measure a volume of air extracted from at least the wound;
- measure a leak rate in the fluid flow path;
- determine a wound volume based at least in part on the measured volume of air;
- and
- correct the determined wound volume based at least in part on the measured leak rate in the fluid flow path.
(canceled)
(canceled)
The apparatus according to claim wherein the controller is further configured to operate the source of negative pressure to achieve a steady state level of negative pressure under the dressing.
(canceled)
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.