Reduced-pressure systems and methods employing an ultraviolet light source for reducing bioburden
AssigneeKCI Licensing, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Brian LOCKE, Timothy Mark ROBINSON
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for moving fluids from a patient to a canister and lowering or eliminating the bio-burden of the canister. In one instance, a method for removing fluids from a patient includes using reduced pressure to remove fluids from a patient, delivering the fluids into a reduced-pressure conduit and into a fluid reservoir, exposing the fluids removed from the patient to a UV light source to kill pathogens to create disposable fluids, and disposing of the disposable fluids. Other systems, devices, and methods are presented.
Claims37
A system for removing fluids from a patient using reduced pressure, the system comprising:
- a reduced-pressure source for providing reduced pressure;
- a canister housing;
- a fluid reservoir at least partially positioned in the canister housing and configured to be fluidly coupled to the reduced-pressure source, the fluid reservoir comprising at least one wall having a UV-transparent portion defining at least a portion of the fluid reservoir;
- and
- a UV-light source positioned adjacent to the fluid reservoir to expose fluids in the fluid reservoir to UV light through the UV-transparent portion.
A system for removing fluids from a patient using reduced pressure, the system comprising:
- a reduced-pressure source for providing reduced pressure;
- a canister housing;
- a fluid reservoir at least partially positioned within the canister housing and configured to be fluidly coupled to the reduced-pressure source, the fluid reservoir comprising a plurality of walls with a plurality of UV-transparent portions;
- and
- a plurality of UV-light sources positioned adjacent to the fluid reservoir to expose the fluids in the fluid reservoir to UV light through at least one of the plurality of UV-transparent portions.
An apparatus for treating fluids removed from a patient comprising:
- a canister housing;
- a fluid reservoir at least partially positioned in the canister housing;
- a reduced-pressure conduit having a UV-transparent portion fluidly coupled to the fluid reservoir, wherein the UV-transparent portion is positioned within the canister housing;
- and
- a UV-light source positioned adjacent to the fluid reservoir to expose fluids in the reduced-pressure conduit to UV light through the UV-transparent portion.
An apparatus for treating fluids removed from a patient comprising:
- a canister housing;
- a fluid reservoir at least partially positioned in the canister housing, the fluid reservoir comprising at least one wall having a UV-transparent portion defining at least a portion of the fluid reservoir;
- a UV-light source positioned adjacent to the fluid reservoir to expose the fluids in the fluid reservoir to UV light through the UV-transparent portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.