This disclosure includes negative pressure wound therapy dressings with local oxygen generation for topical wound therapy. The dressings (18) for facilitating delivery of oxygen and application of negative pressure to target tissue include a manifold (46) that defines a plurality of gas passageways (50) and is configured to allow communication of oxygen to the target tissue; an oxygen-generating material (146) that is configured to release oxygen when exposed to water; a gas-occlusive layer (74) configured to be disposed over the manifold and the oxygen-generating material and coupled to tissue surrounding the target tissue such that an interior volume containing the manifold and the oxygen-generating material is defined between the gas-occlusive layer and the target tissue; and a port (94) coupled to the gas-occlusive layer and configured to be coupled to a negative pressure source.

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 processing element for processing the fluid data, and transmitting the data to another component in the system.

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.

A negative pressure wound closure system and methods for using such a system are described. Preferred embodiments of the invention facilitate closure of the wound by preferentially contracting to provide for movement of the tissue. Some embodiments may include wound closure devices built from smaller units that are modular, assemble-able and/or customizable.

A wound monitoring and/or therapy system can include a substantially stretchable substrate supporting a plurality of electronic components, including sensors, and a plurality of electronic connections that connect at least some of the electronic components. The electronic components can also include a circuit board supporting at least one controller configured to control at least some of the sensors, the circuit board configured to operate without failure when the substrate is flexed as a result of strain. A calibration track can be positioned on the substrate and connected to a monitoring circuit configured to measure a change in resistance of the calibration track indicative of resistance change of at least some of the plurality of electronic connections. The system can include a controller with a circuit board supporting a plurality of electrical components and an antenna configured to communicate with the substrate, the antenna at least partially enclosing the circuit board.

A negative pressure wound therapy device includes a piezoelectric pump, a state detector configured to detect a state of the pump, and a control circuit configured to transmit a first control signal for a first period having a first RMS voltage greater than or equal to a threshold voltage at which driving the pump for a second period greater than the first period can cause the pump to emit sound at a magnitude greater than a sound threshold; receive a first indication of the state; determine if the pump is in a leak condition; transmit, responsive to the pump not being in the leak condition, a second control signal having a second RMS voltage less than the first RMS voltage; and transmit, responsive to the pump being in the leak condition, a third control signal having a third RMS voltage greater than the second RMS voltage.

An apparatus for treating a tissue site includes a dressing, an oxygen source, a valve, and a negative-pressure source. The dressing is configured to be sealed around the tissue site. The oxygen source is fluidly coupled to the dressing and configured to provide a low flow of oxygen. A first port of the valve is fluidly coupled to the dressing and the valve moves between a closed position preventing flow through the valve and an open position permitting flow through the valve. The negative-pressure source is fluidly coupled to a second port of the valve and provides negative pressure to the second port of the valve at a non-therapeutic level. The valve separates the negative-pressure source from the dressing and selectively opens when a positive pressure is applied on an upstream side of the valve.

Embodiments of negative pressure wound therapy systems and methods for operating the systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a negative pressure wound therapy apparatus can include a wound dressing, a negative pressure source, and a controller. The negative pressure source can provide negative pressure via a fluid flow path to the wound dressing. The controller can monitor a rate of fluid removal from the wound, wirelessly communicate the rate of fluid removal to a remote device, and output an indication when the rate of fluid removal meets a threshold.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing negative pressure with 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, a system may comprise a tissue interface adapted to be coupled to a source of instillation fluid and a dressing interface having a therapy cavity that includes a pH sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor embodied on a single pad within the dressing interface to provide data indicative of acidity, humidity, temperature and pressure at the tissue site. Such apparatus may further comprise algorithms for processing such data for detecting leakage and blockage conditions as well as providing information relating to the progression of healing of wounds at the tissue site. An illustrative method may comprise disposing the tissue interface at the tissue site and the therapeutic cavity in fluid communication with the tissue interface. The method may further comprise instilling fluid to the therapy cavity and then sensing the pressure, humidity, temperature, and the pH of the fluids adjacent the tissue interface. The method may further comprise determining various flow characteristics of the system by using a processing element electrically coupled to the sensors for transmitting property signals from the sensors to a controller configured to assess the property signals in order to identify the flow characteristics.

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 contact layer, an absorbent layer over the wound contact layer, the absorbent layer comprising one or more apertures, a cover layer configured to cover and form a seal over the wound contact layer and the absorbent layer, and an electronics assembly comprising a negative pressure source. The cover layer can be configured to be compressed within the aperture in the absorbent layer when negative pressure is applied to the wound dressing apparatus and indicate a level of negative pressure below the cover layer. In some embodiments, the wound dressing apparatus can comprise an indicator material layer configured to protrude when negative pressure is applied to the wound dressing apparatus and indicate a level of negative pressure below the cover layer.