Self contained wound dressing with micropump

#1. Technical Field

#The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for treating an open wound, and, more specifically, relates to a self contained wound dressing with a micropump system which draws wound fluids into a vacuum zone of the dressing to facilitate the wound healing process.

#2. Description of Related Art

#Various embodiments of the subject wound dressing are described herein with reference to the drawings wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a self contained wound dressing and micropump system in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the wound dressing on a wound bed and in a normal expanded condition in the absence of a vacuum;

#The composite wound dressing apparatus of the present disclosure promotes healing of a wound via the use of a micropump system housed within a wound dressing. The micropump system includes a miniature pump that applies a subatmospheric pressure to the wound to effectively draw wound fluid or exudate away from the wound bed without the need for an external vacuum source. Hence, the wound dressing apparatus in the form of wound dressing and micropump system is portable which allows the patient mobility that is unavailable when an external vacuum source is used. The patient does not need to be constrained for any period of time while exudate is being removed from the wound.

#Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the composite wound dressing apparatus 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in the form of a wound dressing 100 with multiple layers arranged in juxtaposed or superposed relation. The multiple layers include, but are not limited to a non-adherent layer 102, a packing layer 104, an absorbent layer 106 which houses a micropump system 108, and a non-porous adherent top layer 110.

#The non-adherent layer 102 is in direct contact with the wound bed “w”. The non-adherent layer 102 is typically porous. “Non-adherent” as used herein refers to a material that does not adhere to tissues in and around the wound bed. “Porous” as used herein refers to a material which contains numerous small perforations or pores which allow wound fluids of all kinds to pass through the material to the dressing layers above. The passage of wound fluid through the non-adherent material is preferably unidirectional such that wound exudate does not flow back to the wound bed. This direction flow feature could be in the form of directional apertures imparted into the material layer, a lamination of materials of different absorption to the non-adherent layer 102 or specific material selection that encourages directional flow. Bidirectional flow materials are also contemplated for non-adherent layer 102 to permit infusion of fluids medicants into the wound. Exemplary materials used as the non-adherent layer 102 include a contact layer sold under the trademark XEROFLO™ by Kendall Corp, a division of TycoHealthcare.