A method for detecting a state of a dressing includes measuring air pressure within a tube. The tube provides airflow between a pump device and the dressing. The method also includes determining whether the air pressure differs from a pressure setpoint by more than a preset limit, and running the pump to cause the air pressure to approach the pressure setpoint. In response to a determination that the air pressure does not differ from the pressure setpoint by more than the preset limit, the method also includes determining a duration of time since a last running of the pump, determining whether the duration of time since the last running of the pump exceeds a threshold duration, and, in response to a determination that the duration of time since the last running of the pump exceeds the threshold duration, generating an alert that indicates that the dressing is full.

A wound therapy system includes a negative pressure circuit configured to apply negative pressure to a wound, a pump fluidly coupled to the negative pressure circuit and operable to control the negative pressure within the negative pressure circuit, a pressure sensor configured to measure the negative pressure within the negative pressure circuit or at the wound and a controller communicably coupled to the pump and the pressure sensor. The controller is configured to execute a pressure testing procedure including applying a pressure stimulus to the negative pressure circuit, observe a dynamic pressure response of the negative pressure circuit to the pressure stimulus using pressure measurements recorded by the pressure sensor, and estimate a wound volume of the wound based on the dynamic pressure response.

Introduced here are apparatuses and systems for mitigating contact pressures applied to a human body by the surface of an object, such as a chair, bed, or table. A pressure-mitigation apparatus can include a series of chambers whose pressure can be individually varied. When placed between a patient and a contact surface, the pressure-mitigation apparatus can vary the contact pressure on a specific anatomical region of the patient by controllably inflating and/or deflating one or more cell. Moreover, a pressure-mitigation system can be readily integrated into a conventional treatment regimen for a variety of different conditions.

Introduced here are apparatuses and systems for mitigating contact pressures applied to a human body by the surface of an object, such as a chair, bed, or table. A pressure-mitigation apparatus can include a series of chambers whose pressure can be individually varied. When placed between a patient and a contact surface, the pressure-mitigation apparatus can vary the contact pressure on a specific anatomical region of the patient by controllably inflating and/or deflating one or more cell. Moreover, a pressure-mitigation system can be readily integrated into a conventional treatment regimen for a variety of different conditions.

A method to handle urine includes collecting urine using a pad or garment; exposing the urine to an aluminum alloy to generate hydrogen gas and heat in an exothermic reaction; and storing the hydrogen in a sealed chamber.

A wound therapy system includes a negative pressure circuit configured to apply negative pressure to a wound, a pump fluidly coupled to the negative pressure circuit and operable to control the negative pressure within the negative pressure circuit, a pressure sensor configured to measure the negative pressure within the negative pressure circuit or at the wound and a controller communicably coupled to the pump and the pressure sensor. The controller is configured to execute a pressure testing procedure including applying a pressure stimulus to the negative pressure circuit, observe a dynamic pressure response of the negative pressure circuit to the pressure stimulus using pressure measurements recorded by the pressure sensor, and estimate a wound volume of the wound based on the dynamic pressure response.

Described herein are systems and apparatuses for enhanced comfort through contact pressure reduction. In particular, the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein prevent or otherwise mitigate pressure by actively orienting a patient over an anatomy-specific pressure-mitigating contact surface on which the patient rests. A pressure-mitigating contact portion of the contact surface includes a plurality of independently pressurized chambers configured in a specific geometric pattern that is designed to mitigate contact pressure between a support surface (e.g., bed or chair) and a specific anatomic region of a patient's body when the specific anatomic region of the patient's body is oriented over an epicenter of the geometric pattern. Additionally, a plurality of elevated side support portions and a wedge interconnected on the base material are configured to actively orient the specific anatomic region of the patient's body over the epicenter of the geometric pattern.

Introduced here are pressure-mitigation systems able to mitigate the pressure applied to a human body by a surface and associated methods for operating the same. A system can include a pressure-mitigation surface with a plurality of chambers whose pressure can be varied by a controller that regulates the flow of fluid produced by a pump. The plurality of chambers may be arranged in a geometric pattern designed to mitigate the pressure on a specific anatomic region when the human body is arranged over the pressure-mitigation surface.

A wound therapy system includes a dressing sealable over a wound and defining a wound space between the dressing and the wound, tubing fluidly communicable with the wound space, and a canister fluidly communicable with the tubing. The canister, the tubing, and the dressing define a sealed space that includes the wound space. The wound therapy system also includes a therapy unit coupled to the canister. The therapy unit includes a sensor configured to measure a pressure in the sealed space, a valve positioned between the sealed space and a surrounding environment and controllable between an open position and a closed position, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to control the valve to alternate between the open position and the closed position to allow airflow through the valve, receive measurements from the sensor, and determine a volume of the wound space based on the measurements.

A pump generates a vacuum at a wound site via first tubing. A negative pressure circuit is defined by a canister, the first tubing and the wound site. A controller of a therapy device operates the pump to apply a first negative pressure to the entirety of the negative pressure circuit, following which ambient air is allowed to flow into the negative pressure circuit. The controller also operates the pump to apply a second negative pressure to a selected portion of the negative pressure circuit exclusive of the wound site, following which ambient air is allowed to flow into the selected portion. A quantity of fluid to be delivered to the wound site via a second tubing is determined by comparing measured parameters related to the flow of air into the negative pressure circuit to parameters measured with respect to the flow of air into the selected portion.