A wound treatment appliance is provided for treating all or a portion of a wound. In some embodiments, the appliance comprises a cover or a flexible overlay that covers all or a portion of the wound for purposes of applying a reduced pressure to the covered portion of the wound. In other embodiments, the wound treatment appliance also includes a vacuum system to supply reduced pressure to the site of the wound in the volume under the cover or in the area under the flexible overlay. Methods are provided for using various embodiments of the invention.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to negative pressure treatment systems and wound dressing systems, apparatuses, and methods that may be used for the treatment of wounds. In particular, some embodiments are directed to improved wound dressings comprising an obscuring layer that may hide fluid contained therein. Some embodiments may further comprise one or more viewing windows disposed therethrough so as to enable monitoring or examination of fluids contained therein.

A reduced pressure treatment system is provided that includes a canister that is fluidly connected to a tissue site and is configured to receive fluid drawn from the tissue site under the influence of a reduced pressure. A reduced pressure source provides the reduced pressure and is fluidly connected to the tissue site by a fluid communication path, which may include a source conduit, the canister, and a target conduit. A sensing device communicates with the source conduit and is configured to sense a pressure in the source conduit. A valve communicates with the source conduit and is configured to vent the reduced pressure. A processing unit communicates with the sensing device and the valve and is configured to open the valve for a selected amount of time, determine a decay of reduced pressure, and determine a fill status of the canister based on the decay of reduced pressure.

Embodiments of a reduced pressure system and methods for operating the system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the system can include one or more processors responsible for various functions associated with various levels of responsiveness, such as interfacing with a user, controlling a vacuum pump, providing network connectivity, etc. The system can present GUI screens for controlling and monitoring its operation. The system can determine and monitor flow of fluid in the system by utilizing one or more of the following: monitoring the speed of a pump motor, monitoring flow of fluid in a portion of a fluid flow path by using a calibrated fluid flow restrictor, and monitoring one or more characteristics of the pressure pulses. The system can provide external connectivity for accomplishing various activities, such as location tracking of the system, compliance monitoring, tracking of operational data, remote selection and adjustment of therapy settings, etc.

Embodiments of a negative pressure wound therapy systems and methods for operating the systems are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system includes a pump assembly, canister, and a wound dressing configured to be positioned over a wound. The pump assembly, canister, and the wound dressing can be fluidically connected to facilitate delivery of negative pressure to a wound. The system can be configured to efficiently deliver negative pressure in continuous and intermittent modes. The system can also be configured to gradually ramp up and down to set pressure values. The system can also be configured to detect and indicate presence of certain conditions, such as low pressure, high pressure, leak, canister full, and the like. Detection and indication of the presence of at least some of these conditions can be enabled and disabled.

An apparatus for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) includes: a pump, a sealed wound cover applicable to a wound, and a tube connecting the pump to the sealed wound cover for generating a negative pressure within the sealed wound cover. The tube includes a longitudinal segment which is at least partially filled in with an absorbent material adapted to absorb wound fluids coming from the wound and travelling along the tube.

A negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device includes a canister, a pump, a filter, and a control unit. The canister is configured to collect wound exudate from a wound site. The pump is fluidly coupled to the canister and configured to draw a vacuum within the canister by pumping air out of the canister. The filter is positioned between the canister and the pump such that the air pumped out of the canister passes through the filter in a first direction. The control unit is configured to operate the pump and to purge the filter by causing airflow through the filter in a second direction, opposite the first direction.

A canister for a negative pressure wound therapy device includes a receptacle, a lid, and a port cover. The receptacle is configured to contain wound exudate collected from a wound site. The lid is configured to attach to the receptacle and includes a port extending through the lid. The port cover is pivotally attached to the lid and configured to pivot between a closed position in which the port cover covers the port and an open position in which the port cover uncovers the port. The port cover includes a buoyant float configured to float in the wound exudate and a non-buoyant mass configured to sink in the wound exudate. The buoyant float and the non-buoyant mass cause the port cover to pivot between the closed position and the open position responsive to a level of the wound exudate within the receptacle and/or an orientation of the receptacle.

A portable pump is provided for negative pressure wound therapy for drawing a vacuum from a wound site via a tube. The pump includes an inlet configured to attach the tube from the wound site; a canister in fluid communication with the inlet for collecting fluids drained from the wound site; and a manually-actuated pump mechanism for creating the vacuum. The pump mechanism includes a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the canister; a piston disposed in the vacuum chamber; and a pump handle coupled to the piston to move the piston in the vacuum chamber between first and second positions to create the vacuum. The pump handle moving between a retracted position and an extended position. The piston is in the first position when said pump handle is in the retracted position and is in the second position when said pump handle is in the extended position.

Embodiments of negative pressure wound therapy systems, apparatuses, and methods for operating the systems and apparatuses are disclosed. In some embodiments, a medical device is configured to detect an identity of a patient-contacting disposable connected to the medical device. The medical device automatically modifies one or more operational parameters of the medical device based on the identity of the patient-contacting disposable connected to the medical device. The medical device can include a user interface and modify automatically available selections in the user interface based on the identity of the patient-contacting disposable connected to the medical device.