Apparatus and method for detecting bacterial growth beneath a wound dressing
AssigneeIndicator Systems International, Inc.
InventorJon Booher
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for visually monitoring, detecting, and/or determining the presence, absence, and/or growth of harmful or potentially harmful bacterial microorganisms beneath a wound dressing, in one example used to cover an indwelling central venous catheter or other catheter. A bacteria detection apparatus includes a barrier membrane, a permeable membrane for placement proximate a wound or a catheter insertion site, and an indicator between the barrier membrane and the permeable membrane for indicating the presence of bacteria proximate the permeable membrane. A method of using a bacterial growth detection apparatus is also provided.
Claims2
A method of indicating bacterial growth at a wound site, said method comprising the steps of:
- I) providing a wound dressing bacterial growth detection apparatus which comprises
- (a) an indwelling catheter, and
- (b) a wound dressing covering the outer portion of the catheter, the wound dressing comprising:
- (i) a barrier membrane which comprises a transparent hydrophobic polymeric material,
- (ii) a permeable membrane which comprises a transparent hydrophilic polymeric membrane for placement proximate a wound, and
- (iii) an indicator which is capable of signaling bacterial growth at the wound site;
- II) placing the catheter at the wound site and placing the permeable membrane of the wound dressing at the wound site on top of the catheter;
- and
- III) detecting the presence of bacterial growth by detecting a change in the indicator, wherein the change in the indicator is caused by byproducts of bacterial growth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.