WOUND CARE DEVICE

Abstract

A wound care device having a covering device fixable to the skin surrounding a wound and used for producing a closed wound space containing the wound. At least sections of the covering device are water vapor-permeable. The covering device preferably comprises a tubular film and a suction port across which a negative pressure can be generated in the wound space. The tubular film preferably has an opening with an opening length of at least 80 cm and more preferably of at least 130 cm.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A wound care device comprising: a tubular film having an opening circumference length of 80 cm or more and at least portions of the film being water vapor-permeable, wherein the tubular film is used to surround a wound to produce an enclosed wound space in which negative pressure can be generated.

15. The wound care device of claim 14, further comprising a suction port across which a negative pressure can be generated in the wound space.

16. The wound care device of claim 14, wherein one end of the tubular film is sealed.

17. The wound care device of claim 14, wherein the tubular film is a circular cylinder shape.

18. The wound care device according to claim 14, further comprising an application aid.

19. The wound care device of claim 18, wherein the application aid is a ring adapted to the opening circumference length of the tubular film.

20. The wound care device of claim 14, wherein the tubular film has an axial length of 40 cm or more and a circumference length of 100 cm or more.

21. The wound care device of claim 14, further comprising a visible marking indicating axial length on the tubular film.

22. The wound care device of claim 14 wherein the tubular film surrounds a wound in the area of an external fixator, comprising at least one nail penetrating the skin of the patient, to produce a wound space, and the wound care device further comprises at least one filling device, wherein the filling device fills a cavity space between the skin of the patient, the nail, and the tubular film during generation of a negative pressure in the wound space.

23. The wound care device of claim 22, wherein the filling device is a truncated cone shape and defines a slit facilitating introduction of the nail into the filling device.

24. The wound care device of claim 14, wherein the tubular film further comprises contact areas of increased tensile strength.

25. A wound care system comprising: a wound care device according to claim 14; an external fixator at least partially exposed outside of a patient during treatment; and wherein the tubular film is dimensioned to fully enclose the external fixator during treatment of a patient.

26. The wound care system of claim 25, further comprising means for repairing the tubular film.

27. The wound care system of claim 25, further comprising at least one filling device.

28. The wound care system of claim 27, wherein the external fixator comprises a nail penetrating the patient's skin and the filling device comprises a truncated cone shape that defines a slit facilitating introduction of the nail into the filling device.

29. A method of treating a wound in the area of an external fixator immobilizing a patient body part using vacuum therapy, the method comprising: pulling a water vapor-permeable tubular film having an oversized opening of a circumference length of 80 cm or more over an external fixator comprising a portion penetrating the skin of the patient; sealing the tubular film near the oversized opening to the skin of the patient to create a hermetically sealed and water vapor-permeable wound space around the external fixator; and generating a negative pressure in the wound space to promote wound healing.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising encircling the portion of the external fixator penetrating the skin with a filling device, wherein the cavity formed during generation of the negative pressure in the wound space between the portion of the external fixator penetrating the skin, the skin of the patient, and the tubular film is filled.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising using an application aid to facilitate pulling the tubular film over the external fixator.

32. A covering device for a wound in the area of an external fixator immobilizing a patient body part, the covering device comprising: a water vapor-permeable tubular film having an oversized opening of a circumference length of 80 cm or more and a sealed end; at least one reinforcement strip that increases the tensile strength of the tubular film in at least one contact area; and a suction port, wherein when the tubular film is pulled over a wound in the area of an external fixator and sealed to create a wound space, a negative pressure can be generated across the suction port.

33. The covering device of claim 32, further comprising an application aid selected from the group consisting of a stable ring, threads, and ears.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will be explained hereinafter with reference to the drawings, to which express reference is made with respect to all the details relevant for the invention and not explained in detail in the specification.

[0028] In the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1a-FIG. 1d is a wound care kit according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0030] FIG. 2a-FIG. 2d is a wound care kit according to a second embodiment of the invention,

[0031] FIG. 3a-FIG. 3d is a wound care kit according to a third embodiment of the invention,

[0032] FIG. 4a-FIG. 4d is a wound care kit according to a fourth embodiment of the invention,

[0033] FIG. 5 is a wound care kit according to a fifth embodiment of the invention, and

[0034] FIG. 6 is a wound care kit according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0035] The wound care kit illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a total of eight stabilizing elements penetrating a patient's skin in the forearm and upper arm areas in the form of nails 112 as well as connecting rods 120, which are interconnected in articulated form across a joint 125. The connecting rods 120 and the joint 125 are located exposed outside the patient and form an external fixator by means of which a fracture in the forearm, upper arm and elbow areas can be fixed. For treating a wound located in the area of the external fixator, a tubular film 140, of a water vapor-permeable material and hermetically sealed on one axial end 142, is pushed over the patient's arm and the external fixator. Opening 144 of the tubular film, facing away from hermetically sealed end 142, is dimensioned in such a way that the introduction of the patient's limbs into the tubular film by the external fixator is not obstructed. The process of introducing the patient's arm into the tubular film is shown in FIGS. 1b and 1c. Once the limb to be treated, including the wound to be treated, is completely enclosed in tubular film 140, the edge of the tubular film encircling opening 144 is hermetically connected to the patient's skin using adhesive films 150 in such a way that, between the patient's skin and the tubular film, a hermetically sealed but water vapor-permeable wound space is created. In this wound space, across a suction port (not illustrated), a negative pressure can be generated, which promotes wound healing.

[0036] The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2 essentially differs from the embodiment illustrated based on FIG. 1 only in that it has an external fixator having only four nails 210 and a connecting rod 220 penetrating the patient's skin. The external fixator is designed for fixing a fracture in the wrist area. Tubular film 240 of the embodiment explained based on FIG. 2 is designed shorter than tubular film 140 of the embodiment explained based on FIG. 1 because it needs to reach only as far as the elbow area. There, tubular film 240, which is hermetically sealed at an axial end 242, is hermetically connected to the patient's skin using adhesive films 250. In this way, a wound space is created, which is hermetically sealed but water vapor-permeable and can be evacuated across a suction port (not illustrated).

[0037] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 essentially differs from the embodiment illustrated based on FIGS. 1 and 2 in that it is designed for treating a wound in the area of a leg. Related thereto, the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises a total of six nails 310 and three connecting rods 320 penetrating the patient's skin. Two of the nails penetrating the patient's skin are arranged in the area of the patient's ankle, an additional stabilizing aid 325 being provided to bridge the ankle. The remaining nails 310 are arranged on both sides of the patient's knee joint and interconnected across connecting rods 320, which are interconnected across a joint 325 in the area of the knee joint. Similar to the embodiments of the invention illustrated based on FIGS. 1 and 2, the wound care kit shown in FIG. 3 comprises, hermetically sealed at an axial end 342, a tubular film 340, which is dimensioned in such a way that one of its openings 344 can be pushed over the leg and the external fixator as shown in FIGS. 3b and 3c. Moreover, an edge encircling opening 344 can be hermetically connected to the patient's skin using adhesive films 350, thereby creating a hermetic, but water vapor-permeable wound space, which can be evacuated across a suction port (not illustrated). In the embodiment of the invention illustrated based on FIG. 3, the axial length of the tubular film is more than 90 cm. The opening circumference length in the area of opening 344 of the tubular film is more than 120 cm.

[0038] The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 essentially differs from the embodiment shown based on FIG. 3 only in that it is intended for treating a wound in the area of a lower leg fracture. The external fixator of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4 comprises three stabilizing rings 410 encircling the patient's lower leg which, using nails penetrating the patient's skin, are attached to the bone fragments to be interconnected. The encircling rings 410 are interconnected using connecting rods 420. For creating a hermetically sealed wound space in the area of the lower leg, a tubular film 400, hermetically sealed at an axial end 442, is pushed over the lower leg having the external fixator attached to it and hermetically connected to the patient's skin using adhesive films 450. In doing so, the hermetic connection to the patient's skin according to FIG. 4d can take place above the patient's knee joint. As in the other embodiments of the invention, the wound space can be evacuated using a suction port, not shown in the drawing, in order to promote wound healing in this manner.

[0039] The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5 essentially differs from the embodiment illustrated based on FIG. 4 only in that the nails penetrating the patient's skin are interconnected using connecting rods 520, without stabilizing rings being used. According to FIG. 6, in the area of transition between the nails 610 and the patient's skin, truncated cone jacket-shaped filling devices 680 may be provided, by means of which the formation of a cavity between the nails, the tubular film and the patient's skin can be prevented.

[0040] The invention is not limited to the embodiments explained based on the drawing. Instead, with appropriate dimensioning of the tubular film, the invention can also be used for vacuum treatment in the pelvic area, the upper arm area, the thigh area, etc.

[0041] While specific embodiments have been shown and discussed, various modifications may of course be made, and the invention is not limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts and steps described herein, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims. Further, it will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.