This invention relates to a wound management device.
Treatment of wounds can involve the use of dressings which fulfil the basic functions of covering a wound to keep it clean and protect it during healing. It may also be required to facilitate the delivery of one or more substances to the wound site and/or the removal of one or more substances from the site. For example, fluids such as liquids or gases may be supplied to or carried away from the wound site. Liquid fluids such as irrigation or cleansing agents, e.g. saline, or gases such as oxygen for aeration of the wound site may be supplied thereto. After use such fluids, in addition to wound exudates, may be conducted away from the wound site. Wound management devices, which sometimes are referred to as wound pouches, provide for such handling of fluids.
Wound management devices are also used for managing exudates from fistulas. In referring to the present invention as a wound management device, it is to be understood that it will find utility for such other purposes, where similar or analogous requirements may arise.
When a wound management device is to be used for the supply to and/or removal from a wound site of one or more fluids, it must provide for the connection of one or more fluid conduits, such as flexible tubing, to the device in such a way as to communicate with the wound site to which the device is applied. To this end it has been usual to provide a wound management device with an entry portion provided with, or able to receive, at least one element affording a through-passage by which fluid can enter or leave a space defined by the device, for access to the wound.
The present invention addresses requirements for a wound management device to be easy to use and versatile. Particular features and advantages of the invention in these respects will be pointed out hereafter.
According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a wound management device comprising at least one wall element of flexible sheet material, the device being securable to skin around a wound site, to define a space wherein the wound is accessible; and a connector element held to the at least one wall element and affording at least one passage for external communication with the space; wherein the connector element includes at least one formation through which the or a passage extends for engagement by a member for fluid supply to or removal from the space.
According to another aspect of the invention, we provide a wound management device, comprising first and second wall elements of flexible sheet material, secured to one another to define a space therebetween; a first one of said wall elements being adapted for adhesive securement to skin around a wound site, and provided or able to be provided with an opening for access between the wound site and the space between the wall elements; and a connector element held to the wall elements and affording at least one passage for external communication with the space between the wall elements;
wherein the connector element includes at least one formation for engagement by a member for fluid supply to or removal from the space.
Preferably the at least one formation comprises a tubular spigot through which the respective passage extends.
The connector element may comprise a body secured to the wall elements by being received between respective portions, e.g. neck portions, thereof; it may be held therein by adhesive or by any other suitable method, e.g. plastics welding. Alternatively, a connector element body may be secured to one of the wall elements.
The connector element may afford a plurality of passages extending through the connector element to communicate with the space between the wall elements, and more than one of such passages may be provided with a formation as aforesaid. At least one of the passages may have two formations such as spigots, respectively extending into the space between the walls of the device and to the exterior of the device.
The provision of a spigot extending into the interior space between the wall elements of the device enables the fitting of an interior tube or other extension member within the management device, for delivery of fluid to or removal of fluid from the vicinity of a wound to which the management device has been applied.
In the case of a connector element affording a plurality of passages, such passages may be of similar or different sizes to one another. One passage may be intended for use as a drainage passage and typically may be of larger size than the others, and may be provided only with an exterior spigot.
In a wound management device in accordance with the invention, the provision of a connector element with at least one formation such as a spigot renders the connection or disconnection of a fluid supply or removal tube thereto extremely quick and simple, requiring a minimum of disturbance to the wound.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Referring firstly to
The wound management device, indicated generally at 10 in
The wall element 12 uppermost in
The wall element 14 which is underneath the wall element 12 in the view shown in
For providing communication with the space between the wall elements 12, 14 and thereby with a wound to which the device is applied, a connector element 38 is provided in the neck portion 30. The connector element 38 is of a suitable plastics material, e.g. an injection moulding. In cross-sectional shape it is somewhat lenticular, tapering down to thin opposite edges at 40 adjacent the welded edge portions of the wall elements 12, 14, and possibly with a parallel-walled portion therebetween with sufficient thickness to accommodate the passages described hereafter. It is secured in the neck portion 30 of the device, e.g. by welding or use of a suitable adhesive.
In the embodiment illustrated the connector element 38 affords three passages extending therethrough in the direction of the length of the neck portion 30. With reference to
The passage 42 in the connector element 38 may provide for supply of a fluid e.g. oxygen, to the space between the wall elements of the device and hence to a wound to which the device is applied. A resiliently flexible tube 60 for supply of such fluid may be fitted on the spigot 48 (whose external surface is slightly tapered), and an appropriate length 62 of such tube may be fitted on the spigot 46 interior of the device to deliver such fluid to the wound. The passage 44 through the connector element 38 is of sufficient diameter to receive a flexible tube 64 such as for example a catheter, which could possibly be semi-permanently sutured into the wound, e.g. where a fistula is present. Passage 54 may provide for drainage of fluid from the wound, e.g. to a suitable positioned drainage bag, by way of a suitable flexible tube fitted on the exterior or into the interior of the spigot 58. A sealing sleeve 66 fits over the tube 64 and is of a flexible resilient material having a bore of stepped diameter, to fit sufficiently tightly to seal with the spigot 52 and the external surface of tube 64.
Referring now to
The marked template is then removed from the wound area, and a cut made around the marked wound outline thereon, to produce an opening therein whose shape corresponds to that of the wound.
The template 80 is then turned front-to-rear (
The release sheet can then be peeled off the adhesive element area 36 on the wall element 14 of the device, and the device carefully placed on the wound, to be secured adhesively to the skin surrounding the wound. As shown in
While the access strip is open, a catheter 64 may be positioned as required in the interior of the wound management device, in relation to the wound, and also a tubular element 62 may be so positioned. The sealing sleeve 66 may be appropriately cut to suit the diameter of the catheter 64 (
From the above, it will be appreciated that the provision of the spigots on the connector element 38, and the provision of the access strip 34, together make the setting up of a wound management device in accordance with the invention a very convenient and quickly-executed procedure.
When used in this specification and claims, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.
The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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1012846.0 | Jul 2010 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/GB2011/051447 | 7/29/2011 | WO | 00 | 5/13/2013 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2012/013986 | 2/2/2012 | WO | A |
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0117714 | Jul 1989 | EP |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130231619 A1 | Sep 2013 | US |