P/00/011 Regulaton 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Wound closure and drainage system The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 WOUND CLOSURE AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM Field of the invention This invention relates generally to wound healing, and more specifically to healing of wounds by negative pressure drainage. 5 Background of the invention Negative pressure applied to a wound enhances drainage of fluids or exudate from the wound and promotes tissue growth and wound healing. This method of healing (known as "cupping") was exercised since the times of ancient Greek physicians until the 19th century. 10 WO 96/05873 describes a therapeutic apparatus for stimulating healing of wounds. The apparatus comprises a porous foamed pad which is sealed on the wound and connected by a tube to an inlet of a canister. A vacuum pump is connected to an outlet of the canister. A bacterial filter positioned over the outlet of the canister protects the vacuum pump from contamination by wound drainage fluids sucked into the canister. 15 The pump, the canister and control circuitry are disposed in a case. WO 97/18007 discloses a portable wound treatment apparatus using a similar arrangement of a porous pad, canister and vacuum pump. The canister and the pump are in one housing which accommodates also the control circuitry and is wearable on a harness or a belt. 20 US 6,648,862 describes a portable vacuum desiccator using a similar arrangement as above, the canister being formed as a cartridge containing a trapping agent (desiccator). The vacuum pump and the canister may be integrated and detachable from the pump motor and circuitry. Current negative pressure wound drainage systems such as the ones described above 25 may suffer from one or more of the following deficiencies: Since the negative pressure applied to the wound area is created by pump 3 suction, the flow into the pump is likely to contaminate the pump, or conversely, to require costly and complex methods of isolating the pump from the wound exudate such as antibacterial filters. Conventional wound drainage systems utilize an air tight seal of the wound, 5 which is helpful in obtaining and maintaining negative pressure, but requires a pressure relief or bleed valve between the canister and the pump to produce the pressure cycling desirable to obtain accelerated wound closure, as described in WO 96/05873. A sealed wound dressing or enclosure, when under negative pressure, will promote migration of the exudate toward the negative pressure source, through the 10 connecting tube, which may occlude, should the exudate coagulate. The need to monitor and control the negative pressure level in conventional systems requires the use of a vacuum transducer, gauge or relief valve, which must be connected to the suction tube, which is subject to contamination. Cleaning, disinfecting or isolating the negative pressure monitoring or controlling device is complex, costly and 15 unreliable. It is therefore desirable to alleviate some or all the above listed deficiencies, by providing a wound drainage enclosure and vacuum system, which is generally impervious to contamination and easy to use. Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an 20 acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art. Summary of the invention 25 In one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of applying negative pressure to a wound, the method including: sealing an enclosure to the wound circumference so as to define a confined volume; using a vacuum pump to 30 create negative pressure within the confined volume and 4 provide for the pumping of fluid from the wound that is present within the confined volume away from the enclosure along a suction tubing for collection in a waste container; while the pump is operating to create the negative pressure, allowing a controlled 5 flow of ambient air to enter the suction tubing and flow along the suction tubing so as to facilitate the transport of said fluid along the suction tubing under the action of said negative pressure, wherein the step of allowing a controlled flow of ambient air to enter the suction tubing is achieved through an inlet that acts as a flow restrictor and which is provided on 10 the suction tubing outside of the enclosure and upstream of both the pump and waste container so that the controlled flow of ambient air enters the suction tubing directly, without entering the confined volume. In another aspect of the invention there is provided a vacuum system for treating an open wound by applying a negative pressure to the open wound, the vacuum system 15 including: a suction tubing for fluid communication with an enclosure sealed to the wound circumference and for receiving and transporting fluid away from the enclosure under the action of negative pressure applied to the suction tubing; a waste outlet for outletting fluid that may be received by the suction tubing; 20 a waste container in fluid communication with the waste outlet; a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the suction tubing and the waste outlet for applying the negative pressure within the suction tubing and for enabling pumping to the waste container through the waste outlet the fluid received by the suction tubing; and 25 an open inlet for ambient air; wherein the open inlet for ambient air is provided on the suction tubing so as to be located outside the enclosure, and upstream of both the pump and waste container, so that the ambient air enters the suction tubing directly, without entering the enclosure, and 30 acts as a flow restrictor to provide, under the action of the vacuum pump during treatment of the wound, a restricted flow of ambient air there through and along the suction tubing to facilitate travel of the fluid along the suction tubing, 5 and wherein the ambient air received into the suction tubing through the inlet is expelled through the waste outlet and the waste container. The open inlet for ambient air may provide for ambient air to enter the enclosure via the suction tubing when the vacuum pump is not pumping and wherein the vacuum pump 5 includes a controller for automatically cyclically activating and deactivating the vacuum pump to allow the vacuum system to be used for cyclic negative pressure application to the open wound. Also disclosed herein is an enclosure for draining an open wound of liquids exuded therefrom. The enclosure is attachable to the wound circumference so as to define a 10 confined volume, and has an outlet, for example formed as a nipple, connectable by means of a tube to an inlet of a vacuum pump so that negative pressure may be created in said confined volume. One or more bleeding holes are provided in the enclosure or adjacent to its outlet such that ambient air can enter the tube and flow together with the exuded liquids when negative pressure is present. Ambient pressure may be restored in 15 the confined volume when the vacuum pump is not operating. The bleeding hole may be a calibrated orifice or other flow restrictors providing for controlled flow of ambient air into the enclosure or into its outlet. For instance, a hole plugged with open cell foam or an open pore sintered metal plug, which restricts the flow, but is not susceptible to plugging as is a small orifice, may be provided. 20 The bleeding hole renders the wound closure vented or non-airtight, as distinguishable from conventional wound closures. The flow of air from the bleeding hole in the wound closure, in response to the negative pressure created by the vacuum pump, facilitates the removal of exudate, which might otherwise coagulate, dry-up and occlude the tubing. 25 The method may include cycling the pump on and off and allowing ambient air to enter the confined volume of the enclosure via the inlet and the suction tubing when the pump is off.
6 The method may include employment of an enclosure and suction tubing extending from the enclosure and provided with one or more bleeding orifices so that ambient air is allowed to enter the tube and flow together with the drained exuded liquids. Preferably, gases are separated and released from the drained exuded liquids. 5 According to a next aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disposable assembly for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom. The assembly comprises an enclosure attachable to the wound circumference so as to define a confined volume, a vacuum pump unit connected to the enclosure so that negative pressure may be created in the confined volume, and a waste container connected to 10 the vacuum pump unit. The vacuum pump unit has means for detachably attaching to a drive unit for operating the pump unit. The enclosure may be connected to an inlet of the vacuum pump unit and the waste container may be connected to an outlet of the vacuum pump unit, such that when the vacuum pump unit is operated the drained liquids flow therethrough. 15 Preferably, the pump unit and the drive unit are adapted for attaching and detaching by simple hand manipulations. The waste container may contain a porous media adapted to soak up the drained liquids and may be in the form of a collapsible or foldable bag. The drained liquids and air contact only the parts of the disposable assembly. The 20 drained exuded liquids may then be disposed of together with the disposable assembly. More specifically, the pump unit is disposed of after use, together with the tubing connected to it, as well as the waste container connected, with its content, and with the wound closure which may be connected to the pump unit via the tubing. Also disclosed herein is a vacuum system as described above where the vacuum pump 25 has a drive unit and a control block adapted to power the drive unit so that a predetermined level of negative pressure is maintained in the confined volume. The control block has a sensor for sensing working parameters of the drive unit and means for deriving the level of negative pressure in the confined volume from these working 7 parameters, in order to maintain said predetermined level. The sensor has no fluid connection with the confined volume. For example, the drive unit may comprise a direct current electric motor and the sensor may sense the electric current driving the motor. The same function of negative 5 pressure control may be accomplished by an adjustable torque limiting clutch, placed between the motor output shaft and the pump. The control block may be provided with alarm means to warn the user if the predetermined level of negative pressure is not maintained. Brief description of the drawings 10 In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be applied, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the vacuum system of the present invention applied on a wound, and 15 Fig. 2 shows the disposable portion of the system of Fig. 1. Detailed description of exemplary embodiments The present invention provides a system and a method of treating and healing of a body wound, by applying a negative pressure to the wound, over an area sufficient to promote migration of epithelial and subcutaneous tissue toward the wound. 20 It is appreciated that the detailed description that follows is intended only to illustrate certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, as set out in the claims. It will also be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the 25 text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.
8 With reference to Fig. 1, in accordance with the present invention, a vacuum system 10 for draining an open wound of liquids exuded therefrom comprises a wound enclosure 12, a vacuum pump 14, and waste collection bag 31. The wound enclosure 12 is connected by a suction tube 16 to an inlet 11 of the vacuum pump. The waste collection 5 bag 31 is connected to an outlet 22 of the vacuum pump. Thereby, when the vacuum pump 14 is operated, the drained liquids flow through the pump into the waste bag 31. Suction tube 16 is connected to nipple 38 of the enclosure 12 which covers wound area of the body 34 such that suction of air through tube 16 creates negative pressure in the volume above the wound area of the body 34. A bleeding orifice 35 is provided within 10 the enclosure 12, or adjacent to it as a tube orifice 37, allowing ambient air to flow into and through suction tube 16, rendering enclosure 12 non-air tight, or vented. This feature, unlike conventional sealed closures, provides for quick movement of exudate entering suction tube 16, toward the vacuum pump 14, and into the waste bag 31, before it dries up or coagulates and occludes the tube. This feature also provides for 15 introduction of ambient pressure to the wound area of the body 34 whenever the vacuum pump stops pumping, allowing cyclic negative pressure application to the wound, by cycling the vacuum pump on and off alternately. Instead of the bleeding orifice 35 in the enclosure, other flow restrictors may be used to provide for controlled flow of ambient air into the enclosure or into the outlet. For 20 instance, a hole plugged with open cell foam or an open pore sintered metal plug, which restricts the flow, but are not susceptible to plugging as is a small orifice, may be used. The vacuum pump 14 comprises a pump unit 18 and a drive unit 40 which are detachably attachable to each other, as explained below. The pump unit 18 includes a two-chambered housing 17 and a diaphragm 24 secured to the underside of the two 25 chambered housing 17 so as to form a working chamber 29. The two-chambered housing 17 has a first chamber 13 with the inlet 11 and a second chamber 21 with an outlet 22. The suction tube 16 is connected to the inlet 11. Two one-way valves 19 and 20 are present at the bottom of the first chamber 13 and the second chamber 21, respectively. To the bottom of the two-chambered housing 17 9 there is attached a mounting base 23, used to mount the housing 17 to the drive unit 40 by means of a bayonet lock. The diaphragm 24 has an integral rod-shaped drive member 25, which is used for engagement with the drive unit 40. 5 The drive unit 40 includes an electric motor 39, batteries 41 and a control block 50 described below. The shaft of the motor 39 has a crank 27 coupled to a reciprocating rod 26. The rod 26 has a receptacle with a cavity adapted to receive and lock therein the drive member 25. When the pump unit 18 is attached to the drive unit 40 by means of the bayonet lock in 10 the base 23, the drive member 25 is received in the receptacle cavity of the reciprocating rod 26 and then locked therein. Upon activation of the motor 39, the crank 27 is rotated and reciprocates the receptacle rod 26, causing the diaphragm 24 to expand and contract the working chamber 29. Thus the pump unit 18 pumps air or liquid that passes through the one-way valves 19 15 and 20. Air and liquids enter the two-chambered housing 17 through the inlet 11 and suction tube 16 which is connected to the patient's wound enclosure 12, for the removal of exudate. Liquids and air enter the first chamber 13, which is under negative pressure when diaphragm 24 reciprocates, driving them past one-way valve 20, into the second 20 chamber 21. The air and liquid which are pumped through outlet 22, enter waste bag 31. The pump's ability to pump air and liquid, unlike conventional pumps, which are efficient in pumping only one type of matter, is enhanced by the flexibility of the diaphragm 24 which allows the diaphragm to yield when encountering heavy loads, such as those 25 present when pumping liquid. This diaphragm flexibility also provides an additional substantial advantage: when the negative pressure in working chamber 29 is high, the diaphragm 24 stretches to allow the reciprocation of the receptacle rod 26 to occur, at minimal burden to the electric motor 39.
10 The waste bag 31 has a vent 15, through which air and gas are discharged to the atmosphere. Accordingly, waste bag 31 will retain only the waste fluids which are pumped into it. The waste bag may contain a porous media 47 adapted to soak up the drained liquids. 5 It is important to note that waste bag 31 is made of thin plastic sheet, which allows it to be folded or collapsed when not full, providing the convenience of having minimal bulk and minimal inconvenience to the patient using or carrying it. The drive unit 40 also includes a control block 50 with control circuits such as cycle control 42, which turns the motor pump on and off alternately, motor voltage and current 10 monitoring and control 43, which controls the negative pressure level produced by the pump unit 18, by controlling the voltage and current which drive motor 39. At any given voltage which drives motor 39, the current draw of the motor is directly related to the negative pressure generated by the pump 18. Accordingly, monitoring of the current which the motor 39 draws allows for indirect monitoring of the negative pressure 15 attained by pump 18. The ability to monitor the negative pressure developed by pump 18, indirectly, precludes the need of making an infectious negative pressure line connection to a pressure transducer or vacuum gauge. For example, if the motor 39 is a direct current electric motor, a sensor may sense the electric current driving the motor. Since the direct current motor output torque is directly 20 related to the current driving the motor, and since the motor output torque is directly related to the negative pressure the pump 18 produces, monitoring the motor current or controlling it, provide for monitoring and controlling the negative pressure produced by the vacuum pump. Motor current monitoring is only one of the available methods of indirect negative pressure monitoring and controlling. The same function of negative 25 pressure control may be accomplished by an adjustable torque limiting clutch placed between the motor output shaft and the crank 27. The control block 50 also has a negative pressure comparator 44, which compares the desired set negative pressure level obtained by pump 18, and the actual monitored negative pressure level as obtained indirectly from motor voltage and current monitoring 11 and control 43. Comparator 44 will activate audible alarm 45, whenever pump 18 fails to reach the desired pre-set negative pressure level. Fig. 2 shows the disposable portion of the system as an assembly 60, which includes the pump unit 18, the waste bag 31, the connecting tube 16 and the wound enclosure 5 12, all separated from the drive unit and from the wound area of the body 34 (as shown in Fig. 1). The assembly 60 may be disposed of in its totality after use, and replaced by a new assembly, thus keeping the costly drive unit 40 free from any contamination. It would be obvious to those skilled in the art, that in one aspect the present invention alleviates the need for cleaning or disinfecting any portion of drive unit 40 after use, or 10 providing protective means, such as filters, to keep contaminants from reaching the costly drive 40.