Wound closure and drainage system

Abstract

A vacuum system for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom, comprising an enclosure sealable to the wound circumference, a vacuum pump including a disposable pump unit detachably attachable to a non-disposable drive unit, and a waste container for collection of drained liquids. The enclosure has an outlet connected by means of a tube to an inlet of the pump unit and the waste container is connected to an outlet of the pump unit, such that when the vacuum pump is operated the drained liquids flow through the vacuum pump. The enclosure has one or more bleeding holes provided therethrough or adjacent to its outlet so that ambient air may enter the tube and flow together with the drained liquids. The enclosure and the waste container are disposable so that the drained liquids contact only disposable elements and may be disposed of together with all disposable elements

1 . A vacuum system for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom, comprising an enclosure sealable to the wound circumference so as to define a confined volume, a vacuum pump in fluid communication with said confined volume, and a waste container for collection of drained liquids in fluid communication with said vacuum pump,
 wherein said confined volume is connected to an inlet of said vacuum pump and said waste container is connected to an outlet of said vacuum pump, such that when said vacuum pump is operated the drained liquids flow through said vacuum pump.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein said enclosure has an outlet connected by means of a tube to said inlet of the vacuum pump, and one or more bleeding holes are provided through said enclosure or adjacent to its outlet so that ambient air may enter said tube and flow together with the drained liquids. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum pump includes a disposable pump unit detachably attachable to a non-disposable drive unit, said enclosure and said waste container being disposable so that the drained liquids, as well as air coming in contact with them, contact only the disposable elements and said drained liquids may be disposed of together with said disposable elements. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum system of  claim 3 , wherein said pump unit and said drive unit are adapted for attaching and detaching by simple hand manipulations. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum pump includes a drive unit and a control block adapted to power said drive unit so that a predetermined level of negative pressure is maintained in said confined volume,
 wherein said control block has a sensor for sensing working parameters of said drive unit and means for deriving the level of negative pressure in said confined volume from said working parameters, in order to maintain said predetermined level, said sensor having no fluid communication with said confined volume.   
     
     
         6 . The vacuum system of  claim 5 , wherein said drive unit comprises an electric motor and said working parameters include the electric current and/or voltage of said motor. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein said waste container is vented so as to release gases mixed with said drained liquids. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein said waste container is a collapsible bag. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein said vacuum pump is a two-chambered diaphragm pump adapted for pumping gases and liquids and/or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum system of  claim 1 , adapted to be worn by an ambulatory patient. 
     
     
         11 . An enclosure for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom, the enclosure being attachable to the wound circumference so as to define a confined volume, and having an outlet connectable by means of a tube to an inlet of a vacuum pump so that negative pressure may be created in said volume,
 wherein one or more bleeding holes are provided in the enclosure or adjacent to its outlet such that ambient air can enter said tube and flow together with the exuded liquids under the action of the negative pressure, and the ambient pressure may be restored in said confined volume when said vacuum pump is not operating.   
     
     
         12 . The enclosure of  claim 11 , having a nipple for connecting to said tube. 
     
     
         13 . The enclosure of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of bleeding holes is provided in the form of a porous body mounted in said enclosure. 
     
     
         14 . The enclosure of  claim 11 , completed with a tube connected to said outlet, for connection to said vacuum pump inlet, wherein said one or more bleeding holes are provided in the tube, adjacent to said outlet. 
     
     
         15 . A method for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom, including:
 providing an enclosure and sealing it to the wound circumference so as to define a confined volume,   connecting said confined volume to a vacuum pump,   connecting a waste container for collection of drained liquids to said vacuum pump,   operating said vacuum pump to drain the exuded liquids,   wherein   said confined volume is connected to an inlet of said vacuum pump and said waste container is connected to an outlet of said vacuum pump such that the drained liquids and air flow through said vacuum pump.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said enclosure has an outlet connected by means of a tube to said inlet of the vacuum pump, and ambient air is allowed to enter into said tube via one or more bleeding holes provided through said enclosure or adjacent to its outlet so that said air flows together with the drained exuded liquids. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising separating and releasing of gases from the drained exuded liquids. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said gases are released through a vent in the waste container. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said vacuum pump is a two-chambered diaphragm pump adapted for pumping gases and liquids and/or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said enclosure, said waste container, and at least a part of said vacuum pump which contacts said drained liquids, are disposable, and the method comprises disposing of the disposable elements together with the drained exuded liquids. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the disposable part of said vacuum pump is a pump unit detachably attachable to a non-disposable drive unit, the method including attaching the pump unit to the drive unit before draining, and detaching the pump unit before said disposing. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said attaching and detaching include only simple hand manipulations. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , applied to a wound of an ambulatory patient. 
     
     
         24 . A disposable assembly for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom, the assembly comprising an enclosure attachable to the wound circumference so as to define a confined volume, a vacuum pump unit connected to said enclosure so that negative pressure may be created in said volume, said vacuum pump unit having means for detachably attaching to a drive unit for operating the pump unit, and a waste container connected to said vacuum pump unit;
 wherein said enclosure is connected to an inlet of said vacuum pump unit and said waste container is connected to an outlet of said vacuum pump unit, such that when said vacuum pump unit is operated the drained liquids flow therethrough.   
     
     
         25 . The disposable assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said enclosure has an outlet connected by means of a tube to said inlet of the vacuum pump unit, and one or more bleeding holes are provided through said enclosure or adjacent to its outlet so that ambient air may flow through said tube together with the drained exuded liquids. 
     
     
         26 . The disposable assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said vacuum pump unit is a two-chambered diaphragm pump adapted for pumping gases and liquids and/or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The disposable assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said waste container contains a porous media adapted to soak up said drained liquids. 
     
     
         28 . The disposable assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said waste container is a collapsible bag. 
     
     
         29 . A vacuum system for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom, comprising an enclosure sealable to the wound circumference so as to define a confined volume, a vacuum pump in fluid communication with said confined volume, said vacuum pump having a drive unit, and a control block adapted to power said drive unit so that a predetermined level of negative pressure is maintained in said confined volume,
 wherein   said control block has a sensor for sensing working parameters of said drive unit and means for deriving the level of negative pressure in said confined volume from said working parameters, in order to maintain said predetermined level, said sensor having no fluid communication with said confined volume.   
     
     
         30 . The vacuum system of  claim 29 , wherein said drive unit comprises an electric motor and said working parameters include the electric current and/or voltage of said motor. 
     
     
         31 . The vacuum system of  claim 29 , wherein said control block has alarm means to warn the user if said predetermined level of negative pressure is not maintained. 
     
     
         32 . The vacuum system of  claim 29 , further comprising a waste container for collection of drained liquids, where said confined volume is in fluid communication with an inlet of said vacuum pump, and said waste container is in fluid communication with an outlet of said vacuum pump such that when said vacuum pump is operated the drained liquids flow therethrough. 
     
     
         33 . The vacuum system of  claim 29 , wherein said vacuum pump comprises a disposable pump unit including said inlet and said outlet, and said pump unit is detachably attachable to said drive unit, said control block with said sensor being associated with the drive unit,
 and wherein said enclosure and said waste container are disposable, so that said exuded liquids may contact only the disposable elements of the vacuum system and may be disposed of together with said disposable elements after detaching said drive unit.