Pressure monitoring system and method
AssigneeWalgreen Health Solutions, LLC
InventorsDenis Burke Drennan, Matthew Frank Trapani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure monitoring system and method for warning a patient or caregiver that soft tissue pressure has exceeded some predetermined level that over time would necessitate moving the patient to prevent or at least reduce a risk of soft tissue damage. The pressure monitoring system and method utilize a dressing assembly adapted to be applied to or near a surface of the patient's body and generate electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed at the surface. The dressing assembly includes a pocket formed therein for removable, secured and protected insertion of one or more sensors.
Claims16
A pressure monitoring system for providing a warning to a patient or caregiver that the patient needs attention to at least reduce a risk of soft tissue damage to the patient, the pressure monitoring system comprising a dressing assembly comprising:
- a patient facing layer with an adhesive on a first side thereof that attaches the dressing assembly to the skin of a patient or to another dressing;
- a foam layer overlying the patient-facing layer and having an opening therein that defines a pocket;
- a pocket cover layer overlying the foam layer and releasably closing the pocket to enable access to the pocket, the pocket cover layer having a foam pad that protrudes into the pocket when the pocket cover layer releasably closes the pocket;
- a top layer overlying the pocket cover layer;
- and
- at least a first sensor within the pocket, enclosed by the patient-facing layer, the foam layer, and the pocket cover layer, and held in place within the pocket by the foam pad, the first sensor generating electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed by the first sensor at the surface of the patient's body.
A method of monitoring electrical outputs and providing a warning to a patient or caregiver that the patient needs attention, the method comprising:
- applying a dressing assembly to a surface of the patient's body, the dressing assembly comprising at least a first sensor embedded in the dressing assembly, a patient facing layer with an adhesive on a first side thereof that attaches the dressing assembly to the skin of a patient or to another dressing, a foam layer overlying the patient-facing layer and having an opening therein that defines a pocket, a pocket cover layer overlying the foam layer and releasably closing the pocket to enable access to the pocket, the pocket cover layer having a foam pad that protrudes into the pocket when the pocket cover layer releasably closes the pocket, a top layer overlying the pocket cover layer, the first sensor being within the pocket, enclosed by the patient-facing layer, the foam layer, and the pocket cover layer, and held in place within the pocket by the foam pad, the first sensor generating electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed by the first sensor at the surface of the patient's body;
- monitoring the electrical outputs generated by the first sensor;
- and
- generating an alert if the electrical outputs exceeds a threshold level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.