A wound closure system and a method of closing a wound are disclosed. The wound closure system includes a plurality of skin anchors mechanically attached to external skin tissue around a periphery of a wound, a line extending between the skin anchors, the line slidably engaged with each skin anchor, a biasing member that provides tension on the line to draw all of the skin anchors toward the wound and a negative pressure wound dressing apparatus adapted to be used in conjunction with the wound closure system. The method of closing a wound includes the steps of attaching a plurality of skin anchors to external skin around a periphery of a wound, extending a line between the skin anchors around substantially the entire periphery of the wound, providing tension to the line to draw the skin anchors toward the wound, and applying a negative pressure to the wound.

An apparatus, system, and method for treating an incisional wound having incisional walls. The apparatus includes a conduit having a first end for receiving reduced pressure and a second end. The apparatus further includes a scaffold. The scaffold has opposing surfaces for positioning adjacent the incisional walls and is fluidly coupled to the second end of the conduit for receiving the reduced pressure. The scaffold is generally elongated in shape and has a thickness between the opposing surfaces that is sufficiently thin for positioning within the incisional wound. The apparatus further includes an internal manifold that has a primary flow channel extending generally longitudinally within the scaffold and between the opposing surfaces of the scaffold. The internal manifold is fluidly coupled to the second end of the conduit. The application of the reduced pressure through the scaffold and the internal manifold induces tissue apposition between the incisional walls.

Systems, methods, and dressings for treating a linear wound, such as an incision, on a patient are presented. The systems, dressings, and methods involve a sealed wound dressing assembly that helps form a fluid seal around the linear wound while simultaneously encompassing a subcutaneous delivery conduit to deliver fluid to or from a subcutaneous tissue site. In one instance, a reduced-pressure interface is used to allow the subcutaneous delivery conduit to pass through tissue at or near the linear wound and through a wound dressing assembly to a drainage receptacle.

Some illustrative embodiments of a dressing for treating a tissue site may include a fluid hub, a plurality of elongate fluid members, and a separable joint. The plurality of elongate fluid members may be positioned in fluid communication with the fluid hub. Each of the plurality of elongate fluid members may include a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongate side between the proximal end and the distal end. The elongate side of the elongate fluid members may extend longitudinally outward from the fluid hub. The separable joint may be coupled between the elongate side of one of the plurality of elongate fluid members and the elongate side of another of the plurality of elongate fluid members. Other dressings, systems, and methods are disclosed.

The invention relates to a wound care article relates having at least one flat layer consisting of a woven fabric or nonwoven comprising superabsorbent fibers and superabsorbent particles.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing negative pressure and/or instillation fluids to a tissue site are disclosed. Some embodiments are illustrative of an apparatus or system for delivering negative-pressure and/or therapeutic solution of fluids to a tissue site, which can be used in conjunction with sensing properties of fluids extracted from a tissue site and/or instilled at a tissue site. For example, an apparatus may comprise a dressing interface or connector that includes a pH sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor and/or a pressure sensor embodied on a single pad within the connector and proximate the tissue site to provide data indicative of acidity, humidity, temperature and pressure. Such apparatus may further comprise algorithms for processing such data for detecting leakage and blockage as well as providing information relating to the progression of healing of wounds at the tissue site. An illustrative method may comprise positioning a dressing interface having a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a pressure sensor at a tissue site, and applying reduced pressure to the dressing interface to draw fluids from the tissue interface in contact with the sensors to sense the pH, temperature, humidity, and pressure properties of the fluids flowing from the tissue site. The method may further comprise providing fluid data indicative of such properties to a control device for processing the fluid data, and transmitting the data to another component in the system.

This disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for preventing the onset and progression of POI. In one example, a fan-like polyurethane heat-sealed bilayer that surrounds a plurality of wedge-shaped foam strips that join at a collecting foam portion, is subjected to negative pressure provided through silicone tubing which is sealed to the perforated collecting foam portion. Such negative pressure applied for approximately 48 to 72 hours after closure of the abdomen, helps prevent POI which in turn enhances patient recovery, and reduces the length of their hospital stay.

This disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for preventing the onset of surgical complications and improving patient recovery from surgeries such as mastectomies, herniorrhaphy or hernioplasty. The apparatuses and methods using the apparatuses leads to improved outcomes from chest surgeries to treat hemothorax and pneumothorax. and progression of complications following minimally invasive surgery such as laparoscopic surgery. In one example, a leaf-like polyurethane heat-sealed bilayer that surrounds a plurality of wedge-shaped foam strips that join at a collecting foam portion inside a trocar is subjected to negative pressure provided through silicone tubing which is sealed to the perforated collecting foam portion. Such negative pressure applied for a prolonged period during or after closure of the chest or abdomen laparoscopic surgery, helps prevent fluid loss, abscesses, hematomas, seromas and infection, surgical complications which, in turn, enhances patient recovery, and reduces the length of their hospital stay.

Embodiments of tissue monitoring and therapy systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, a monitoring and therapy system comprises collecting video images of a tissue site, amplifying said video images via Eulerian Video Magnification, and determining a treatment parameter from the amplified video images detectable by Eulerian Video Magnification. If the treatment parameter differs from a threshold, an alert may be generated.

Embodiments of negative pressure wound therapy systems and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a housing enclosing a source of negative pressure and a controller configured to operate the source of negative pressure to provide negative pressure wound therapy to a wound. The housing can also include a communications controller configured to wirelessly transmit and receive data using a communications antenna positioned on an antenna board. The antenna board can be mounted to a communications board that include the communications controller. The antenna board can be electrically connected to the communications board via a single connector on the communications board. The antenna's ground plane can be positioned on the communications board.