A chemical pump assembly useful for negative pressure therapy includes a chemical pump housing having an inner chamber, a reactor located within the inner chamber, an opening provided in the chemical pump housing, a first pull tab which extends from the inner chamber to ambient through the opening, and a removable layer connected to the first pull tab. The reactor is configured to react with a selected gas found in air so as to consume the selected gas when exposed to air in the inner chamber. The removable layer shields the reactor from air in the inner chamber atmosphere until the removable layer is removed.

A chemical pump assembly useful for negative pressure therapy includes a chemical pump housing having an inner chamber, a reactor located within the inner chamber, an opening provided in the chemical pump housing, a first pull tab which extends from the inner chamber to ambient through the opening, and a removable layer connected to the first pull tab. The reactor is configured to react with a selected gas found in air so as to consume the selected gas when exposed to air in the inner chamber. The removable layer shields the reactor from air in the inner chamber atmosphere until the removable layer is removed.

Systems and methods for delivery of fluid to a wound therapy dressing. In exemplary embodiments, a pressure sensor measures the pressure at the wound therapy dressing and restricts fluid flow to the wound therapy dressing when a predetermined pressure is achieve.

Systems and methods are presented for providing reduced pressure to and monitoring pressure at a plurality of tissue sites using a plurality of pressure management devices. The pressure management devices are associated with a plurality of sensing conduits that fluidly couple the pressure management devices and the plurality of tissue sites. Other systems, methods, and devices are disclosed.

A manifold apparatus and method of opening a valve in a medical/surgical waste collection unit. The manifold includes a base at a proximal end with the base defining an opening off center from an axis of the manifold. The manifold further includes two arcuately spaced tabs, each subtending arcs having different arcuate lengths. The manifold is positioned such that the tabs mate with at least two slots of a lock ring of the waste collection unit so as to cause the opening of the manifold to be, upon insertion into a bore of the waste collection unit, in a specific rotational alignment in the bore. The manifold is rotated within the bore to cause a valve disk to move between a first position in which the valve disk blocks fluid flow through the receiver and a second position in which the valve disk allows fluid flow through the receiver.

A new and improved NPWT bandage which is simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use, small in size (including having a low profile), is atraumatic to the wound during use, has improved pump efficiency, incorporates an automatic pressure indicator for indicating the level of negative pressure created, and provides an automatic pressure limiter for limiting the level of negative pressure created.

A trap bottle assembly for mounting on a suction regulator or controller is disclosed. The trap bottle assembly includes a mounting adaptor for mounting on the suction regulator and a disposable trap bottle for releasable mounting on the mounting adaptor. The mounting adaptor includes a tubular connector and a body member having a peripheral sidewall from which a pair of pins extends. The threaded tubular connector connects the mounting adaptor to the suction regulator or controller. The trap bottle includes an annular flange for tightly engaging an undersurface of the body member to form a good fluid tight interface therebetween. The trap bottle includes a pair of recesses for receipt of the pair of pins, to enable the trap bottle to be releasably secured to the mounting adaptor.

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for applying negative pressure to a wound site. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a source of negative pressure, a processing element, and a memory comprising instructions configured to, when executed on the processing element, cause the apparatus to attempt to generate, via the source of negative pressure, a desired negative pressure at the wound site. If the desired negative pressure has not been generated after a first predetermined period of time, the instructions cause the apparatus to: deactivate the source of negative pressure for a second predetermined period of time, and subsequently attempt to generate the desired negative pressure at the wound site.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining status of a canister of a topical negative pressure (TNP) system. The method includes the steps of monitoring pressure provided by a pump element of the TNP system, determining at least one characteristic associated with the monitored pressure and determining status of at least one parameter associated with a canister of the TNP system responsive to the determined characteristics.

An apparatus for managing fluid buildup in an internal cavity that may allow automated or semi-automated management of fluid at the treatment site. The apparatus may include a drain fluidly coupled to a negative-pressure source and a vent valve. The may further include a control system configured to operate the negative-pressure source to manage fluid buildup at the treatment site. The apparatus may be particularly advantageous for management of fluid buildup in serous cavities, such as pleural effusion or ascites.