Tissue debridement systems and methods

#The present invention relates generally to medical treatment systems, and more particularly, to tissue debridement systems and methods.

#Necrotic tissue may retard wound healing. As such, it may at times be desirable to remove necrotic tissue. The therapeutic intervention for necrotic tissue in the wound is debridement. A number of general approaches exist for debridement, e.g., mechanical, enzymatic or chemical, sharp, biosurgical, and autolytic. Mechanical methods of debridement may be painful and require a high level of skill to prevent damage to healthy tissue. Moreover, some mechanical systems create extensive debris that is propelled in numerous directions.

#According to one illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a system for removing undesired tissue from a tissue site of a patient includes a working gas supply source for supplying a working gas and a CO2 source for supplying solid CO2 particles. The system may further include a reduced-pressure source for supplying reduced pressure. The system also includes a supply conduit fluidly coupled to the working gas supply source and the CO2 source for receiving the working gas and solid CO2 particles. The system further includes a treatment head fluidly coupled to the supply conduit for receiving the working gas and solid CO2 particles and delivering the working gas and solid CO2 particles to the tissue site at a desired location. An extraction conduit is fluidly coupled to the treatment head and fluidly coupled to the reduced-pressure source, where the latter is present. The system is configured such that the solid CO2 particles impinge upon at least a portion of the undesired tissue to remove undesired tissue, and the extraction conduit carries away the undesired tissue under reduced pressure.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram with a portion shown in cross section and a portion shown in perspective view of an illustrative system for removing undesired tissue from a tissue site of a patient;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic, perspective view of a portion of the illustrative system of FIG. 1 showing a portion of a treatment head;

#FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section of a portion of the treatment head of the illustrative system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

#In the following detailed description of the non-limiting, illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments described herein, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the illustrative embodiments are defined only by the appended claims.

#Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, an illustrative embodiment of a system 100 for removing, or debriding, undesired tissue 102, e.g., necrotic tissue, from a tissue site 104 of a patient is presented. The tissue site 104 is shown as a wound 103 through epidermis 105 and a portion of subcutaneous tissue 107, but the tissue site 104 may be any tissue site that includes a portion that is undesired and which a healthcare provider 112 would like removed. The system 100 uses solid CO2 particles (dry ice) 111 and a working gas to position and cut the undesired tissue 102. The system 100 transports the cut undesired tissue 102 or a portion thereof, which may be referred to as debris 109. The system 100 has little or no distribution of debris 109 at the tissue site 104. The solid CO2 particles 111 may cool the tissue site 104—creating an analgesic effect—to minimize pain experienced by the patient.

#The system 100 includes a treatment member 106 that includes a treatment head 108 and may include a handle 110. The treatment member 106 allows the healthcare provider 112 to position the treatment head 108 adjacent to the undesired tissue 102 or a portion thereof for removal. The treatment head 108 has a treatment head body 114 formed with a delivery conduit 116, a treatment cavity 118, and a removal aperture and conduit 120. The treatment cavity 118 formed in the treatment head body 114 is sized and configured to receive the undesired tissue 102 or a portion thereof when the treatment head 108 is placed adjacent the undesired tissue 102 during operation.