Negative-pressure treatment with area stabilization

Abstract

An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a tissue site of a patient may include a tissue interface, a cover, an aperture in the cover, and a sealing member. The tissue interface may have an anatomical shape configured to cover the tissue site. The cover may be configured to cover the tissue interface. The aperture in the cover may be fluidly coupled to the tissue interface. The sealing member may be configured to seal the cover to the patient, wherein the cover and the sealing member are configured to cooperate to form a sealed chamber containing the tissue interface. The tissue interface may be coupled to a source of negative pressure, which can be delivered to the tissue interface for distribution to the tissue site. The source of negative pressure may be coupled to the cover of the apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a tissue site of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
 a tissue interface configured to cover the tissue site;   a cover configured to cover the tissue interface; and   a support layer configured to be located between the tissue interface and the cover, wherein when negative pressure is applied to the tissue interface, the cover is configured to be pulled against the support layer such that at least a portion of the support layer is visible through the cover.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support layer is configured to increase a pulling force on the tissue site under negative pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support layer includes a plurality of apertures, and wherein when negative pressure is applied to the tissue interface, the cover is configured to be pulled against the support layer such that an outline of at least a portion of the apertures are visible through the cover. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue interface comprises a comfort layer configured to be disposed proximate the tissue site. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue interface is configured to cover at least a portion of a foot. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue interface is configured to cover at least a portion of a knee. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the tissue interface is further configured to cover the knee, a portion of the leg above the knee, and a portion of the leg below the knee. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the cover has first end and a second end; and   the first end and the second end are open.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a first sealing member configured to extend around the first end of the cover and the leg above the tissue interface to seal the first end of the cover to the patient; and   a second sealing member configured to extend around the second end of the cover and the leg below the tissue interface to seal the second end of the cover to the patient.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the cover, the first sealing member, and the second sealing member are configured to cooperate to form a sealed chamber containing the tissue interface and the support layer. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising recessed areas configured to be proximate the popliteal fossa region of the knee. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the tissue interface comprises a manifold. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the manifold comprises:
 a first cuff;   a second cuff; and   a stem connected to and extending between the first cuff and the second cuff.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a negative-pressure source, the negative-pressure source comprising:
 a chamber wall defining a pump chamber, the pump chamber adapted to be fluidly coupled to the tissue interface through an aperture through the cover; and   a base extending from the chamber wall, the base fluidly sealed to the cover around the aperture.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the chamber wall is adapted to be compressed to evacuate fluid from the pump chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising an exhaust valve fluidly coupled to the pump chamber and adapted to allow fluid to be evacuated from the pump chamber when the chamber wall is compressed. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pump chamber is adapted to expand to decrease pressure in the tissue interface. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising an intake valve between the tissue interface and the pump chamber, the intake valve adapted to fluidly couple the pump chamber and the tissue interface and adapted to allow pressure to be reduced in the tissue interface when the pump chamber is expanded. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a tissue site proximate the knee of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
 a tissue interface having an anatomical shape configured to cover the tissue site, the knee of a patient, a portion of the leg of the patient above the knee, and a portion of the leg of the patient below the knee;   a cover having first end that is open and a second end that is open, the cover configured to cover the tissue interface; and   a sealing member comprising:
 a first sealing member configured to extend around the first end of the cover and the leg of the patient above the tissue interface to seal the first end of the cover to the patient; and 
 a second sealing member configured to extend around the second end of the cover and the leg of the patient below the tissue interface to seal the second end of the cover to the patient; 
   wherein the cover, the first sealing member, and the second sealing member are configured to cooperate to form a sealed chamber containing the tissue interface.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for applying negative pressure to a tissue site proximate a shoulder of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
 a tissue interface having an anatomical shape configured to cover the tissue site and at least a portion of the shoulder of the patient proximate to the tissue site;   a cover having a flange, the cover configured to cover the tissue interface; and   a sealing member configured to extend around the flange to seal the cover to the patient, wherein the cover and the sealing member are configured to cooperate to form a sealed chamber containing the tissue interface.