A collapsible, clamping and/or steerable apparatus in conjunction with negative pressure system and methods for using such an apparatus are described. Preferred embodiments of the invention have lengths and bent and/or increase their curvatures along their lengths, by preferentially contracting and transforming upon negative pressure.

Embodiments of negative pressure wound therapy systems and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a driving circuit that supplies a driving signal to a negative pressure source to cause the negative pressure source to provide negative pressure via a fluid flow path to a wound dressing. The apparatus furthers include a controller that adjusts a frequency of the driving signal supplied by the driving circuit according to a comparison of a previous magnitude and a subsequent magnitude of the driving signal while the negative pressure source provides negative pressure. The transfer of power to the negative pressure source can thereby be tuned to maximize an amount of power transferred to the negative pressure source.

An ultra-portable therapy system for treating a tissue site with negative pressure is disclosed. In some embodiments, the therapy system may include a wound dressing, a low-profile conduit, a therapy unit, and a communications device. Some embodiments may also include aspects of a therapy network, including communications networks and a remote monitoring center.

A citric acid containing dressing for treating a tissue site with negative pressure may comprise a cover, a manifold, and a perforated polymer film and/or a sealing layer. The sealing layer can be a perforated silicone gel having a treatment aperture. The dressing can further contain an adhesive. The cover, the manifold, and the perforated polymer film and/or the sealing layer may be assembled in a stacked relationship with the cover and the sealing layer enclosing the manifold. Citric acid may be present on or incorporated in, for example, the perforated polymer film and/or the sealing layer.

In one example embodiment, a system for treating a tissue site is disclosed that may comprise a manifold including a non-porous film having a plurality of closed cells defined by a sealed region perforated with apertures extending through the sealed region, wherein the manifold is adapted to contact the tissue site. The system may further comprise a cover adapted to provide a fluid seal between a therapeutic environment including the manifold proximate one side of the cover and a local external environment on the other side of the cover. In one embodiment, the plurality of closed cells is adapted to form distal channels with the cover and the apertures are adapted to provide fluid communication between the distal channels and the tissue site. The system may further comprise a negative-pressure source fluidly coupled to the therapeutic environment and adapted to provide negative pressure through the distal channels and the apertures to the tissue site. In another example embodiment, a method for treating a tissue site is disclosed comprising positioning a manifold including a non-porous film having a plurality of closed cells defined by a sealed region perforated with apertures extending through the seals to contact the tissue site. The method may further comprise covering the manifold and the tissue site with a drape to provide a fluid seal between a therapeutic environment including the manifold proximate one side of the drape and a local external environment the other side of the drape. The method may further comprise providing negative pressure from a negative-pressure source coupled to the therapeutic environment wherein the negative pressure is applied through the distal channels and the apertures to the tissue site.

Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for determining an emplacement of sensors in a wound dressing are disclosed. In some embodiments, a wound dressing includes a plurality of sensors configured to measure wound or patient characteristics. One or more processors are configured to receive wound or patient characteristics data as well as emplacement data. The received data can be used to determine an emplacement of the plurality of sensors, the wound dressing, or a wound. The sensors can include a set of nanosensors. The wound dressing can include pH sensitive ink which can be utilized for determining a placement of the wound dressing and determining a pH associated with the wound. The wound dressing can be used in a negative pressure wound therapy system.

Apparatus and a method for the provision of TNP therapy to a wound are described, the apparatus comprising: a sealing membrane (504) for covering a wound to form a wound cavity (500); one end of an aspirant conduit (522) operably associated with the wound cavity, vacuum means (524) provided at a distal end of the aspirant conduit for applying a vacuum to the wound cavity; and, air bleed means (510) in fluid communication with the wound cavity. Various embodiments of air bleed port members are also described.

In some embodiments, a wound dressing that incorporates a number of sensors or sensors separate from the wound dressing can be utilized in order to monitor characteristics of a wound as it heals or to identify one or more risk factors or conditions that may precipitate a wound. In some implementations, a wound dressing configured to be positioned in contact with a wound includes a substantially flexible substrate supporting one or more sensors. The one or more sensors can include temperature sensors, conductivity sensors, multispectral optical measurements sensors, pH sensors, pressure sensors, colorimetric sensors, optical sensors, ultraviolet (UV) sensors, or infrared (IR) sensors.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a wound treatment apparatus with electronic components integrated within a wound dressing. In some embodiments, a wound dressing apparatus can comprise a wound dressing. The wound dressing can comprise an absorbent material, an electronics unit comprising a negative pressure source, the electronics unit integrated within the wound dressing and at least partially encapsulated by a flexible film. The electronics unit can include translucent or transparent components that allow light to travel through to reach adhesives or coatings on the electronic components that would otherwise be obscured.

A system, method, and apparatus are disclosed for dressing a wound. The apparatus comprises a liquid and gas permeable transmission layer, an absorbent layer for absorbing wound exudate, the absorbent layer overlying the transmission layer, a gas impermeable cover layer overlying the absorbent layer and comprising a first orifice, wherein the cover layer is moisture vapor permeable.