Integrated system for assessing wound exudates

Abstract

An integrated system for assessing wound exudates from the wound of a patient is described. The system may contain functionality to detect, process and report various wound parameters. The system also may make treatment determinations based on these findings. The system may detect one or more physiological values of the wound exudates from the wound of the patient. The system may means for comparing the one or more detected physiological values to predetermined physiological values in order to obtain a comparison result in real time. The system may include a processor 15 which provides an electronic signal based on a comparison result in which the electronic signal may correspond to guidelines for treating the wound 13. The system may be integrated with other wound treatment devices, such as negative pressure wound therapy devices (NPWT) 9.

1 . A system for assessing wound exudate from a wound of a patient, the system comprising:
 a wound treatment device for application to the wound;   a wound drain line for passage of wound exudate from the wound;   at least one sensor for measurement of one or more physiological parameters of wound exudate passed through the wound drain line; and   a controller coupled to the at least one sensor to receive sensor input therefrom, wherein the controller includes memory having instructions stored therein and a processor coupled to the memory, and wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to assess the one or more physiological parameters of the wound exudate based on the sensor input and provide a treatment guideline based on the assessment.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biomarker detectable by the at least one sensor to measure the one or more physiological parameters of wound exudate passed through the wound drain line, wherein:
 the wound drain line includes an interior surface that at least partially defines an internal channel sized for the passage of wound exudate and an exterior surface disposed exteriorly of the internal channel;   the biomarker is located within the internal channel; and   the at least one sensor is located on the exterior surface such that the at least one sensor does not contact, and is not in fluid communication with, wound exudate passed through the internal channel.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a light source to emit light into wound exudate passed through the internal channel to cause fluorescence of the biomarker, wherein:
 the light source is located on the exterior surface;   the at least one sensor includes an optical sensor configured to detect fluorescence of the biomarker; and   the wound drain line includes an optically transparent tube.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wound drain line includes an interior surface that at least partially defines an internal channel sized for the passage of wound exudate and an exterior surface disposed exteriorly of the internal channel;   a wall extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface has a first thickness in locations where the at least one sensor is absent; and   the wall has a second thickness less than the first thickness in locations where the at least one sensor is present.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the at least one sensor includes two pressure sensors spaced from one another and located outside of the internal channel such that the two pressure sensors do not contact, and are not in fluid communication with, wound exudate passed through the internal channel; and   two thin membranes are disposed on the wall in locations corresponding to the two pressure sensors.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the at least one sensor includes two thermal mass sensors spaced from one another and located outside of the internal channel such that the two thermal mass sensors do not contact, and are not in fluid communication with, wound exudate passed through the internal channel; and   two thin membranes are disposed on the wall in locations corresponding to the two thermal mass sensors.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a compartment fluidly coupled to the wound drain line and configured to collect wound exudate passed through the wound drain line, wherein:
 the at least one sensor is arranged in close proximity to the compartment;   the at least one sensor includes a strain gauge, a capacitive level gauge, or an optical gauge; and   the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to calculate a flow rate of wound exudate based on the sensor input.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first reservoir fluidly coupled to the wound drain line to receive wound exudate passed therethrough; and   a second reservoir in fluid communication with the first reservoir and attached to the first reservoir by a flexible support,   wherein the at least one sensor includes a load cell coupled to the flexible support and configured to measure flexure of the support in use of the system.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the at least one sensor includes a sensing device provided separately from the load cell;   the sensing device includes a capacitive level gauge or an optical gauge; and   the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to calculate a flow rate of wound exudate based on sensor input provided by the sensing device.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to remove any movement artifacts from the sensor input, to determine if the calculated flow rate is acceptable, and to trigger an alert or alarm in response to a determination that the calculated flow rate is not acceptable. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 obtain readings based on the sensor input when the processor and the at least one sensor are powered up;   condition and clean the sensor input to filter out extraneous data or artifacts;   assign one or more weights to the conditioned and cleaned sensor input;   compare the weighted sensor input to a vector map;   determine whether the weighted sensor input is in a safe region on the vector map; and   selectively storing the weighted sensor input in the memory in response to a determination that the weighted sensor input is in the safe region on the vector map.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein to obtain readings based on the sensor input, the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 measure spectral content of the wound exudate;   measure flow of the wound exudate;   measure temperature of the wound exudate;   detect a biomarker of the system; or   measure viscosity of the wound exudate.   
     
     
         13 . A system for assessing wound exudate from a wound of a patient, the system comprising:
 a wound treatment device for application to the wound;   a wound drain line for passage of wound exudate from the wound;   at least one sensor for measurement of one or more physiological parameters of wound exudate passed through the wound drain line, wherein the at least one sensor is not disposed in fluid communication with wound exudate passed through the wound drain line; and   a controller coupled to the at least one sensor to receive sensor input therefrom, wherein the controller includes memory having instructions stored therein and a processor coupled to the memory, and wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to assess the one or more physiological parameters of the wound exudate based on the sensor input and provide a treatment guideline based on the assessment.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a biomarker detectable by the at least one sensor to measure the one or more physiological parameters of wound exudate passed through the wound drain line, wherein:
 the wound drain line includes an interior surface that at least partially defines an internal channel sized for the passage of wound exudate and an exterior surface disposed exteriorly of the internal channel;   the biomarker is located within the internal channel; and   the at least one sensor is located on the exterior surface.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the wound drain line includes an interior surface that at least partially defines an internal channel sized for the passage of wound exudate and an exterior surface disposed exteriorly of the internal channel;   a wall extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface has a first thickness in locations where the at least one sensor is absent; and   the wall has a second thickness less than the first thickness in locations where the at least one sensor is present.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the at least one sensor includes two pressure sensors or two thermal mass sensors spaced from one another and located outside of the internal channel; and   two thin membranes are disposed on the wall in locations corresponding to the two pressure sensors or the two thermal mass sensors.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a compartment fluidly coupled to the wound drain line and configured to collect wound exudate passed through the wound drain line, wherein:
 the at least one sensor is arranged in close proximity to the compartment;   the at least one sensor includes a strain gauge, a capacitive level gauge, or an optical gauge; and   the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to calculate a flow rate of wound exudate based on the sensor input.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to remove any movement artifacts from the sensor input, to determine if the calculated flow rate is acceptable, and to trigger an alert or alarm in response to a determination that the calculated flow rate is not acceptable. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 obtain readings based on the sensor input when the processor and the at least one sensor are powered up;   condition and clean the sensor input to filter out extraneous data or artifacts;   assign one or more weights to the conditioned and cleaned sensor input;   compare the weighted sensor input to a vector map;   determine whether the weighted sensor input is in a safe region on the vector map; and   selectively storing the weighted sensor input in the memory in response to a determination that the weighted sensor input is in the safe region on the vector map.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein to obtain readings based on the sensor input, the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 measure spectral content of the wound exudate;   measure flow of the wound exudate;   measure temperature of the wound exudate;   detect a biomarker of the system; or   measure viscosity of the wound exudate.