IP Library › Granted Patent US 12678552
Granted Patent B2
US 12678552 · App. 18/099,844 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Systems and methods for controlling dual mode negative pressure wound therapy apparatus

Inventors: Eric Edward Adams (Pittsboro, NC); Ben Alan Askem (Leeds, GB); Kevin Bendele (Fort Worth, TX); Aaron Michael Husz (Cary, NC); David Edward Lee (Durham, NC); Nisha Mistry (Dubai, AE); Lee Michael Rush (St. Petersburg, FL); David Ronald Upton (New Hill, NC); Gareth Walker (Hull, GB); William Jacob Ward (Apex, NC); Hannah Bailey Sidebottom (Hull, GB)
Assignee: Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited
A61M1/915A61M1/90A61M1/73A61M1/74A61M2205/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12678552
App. No.
18/099,844
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a negative pressure wound therapy device includes a negative pressure source and a controller configured to, in response to determining that the negative pressure source is directly fluidically connected to a wound dressing without a canister between the two, operate the negative pressure source in a first mode; otherwise, operate the negative pressure source in a second, different mode. The controller can be further configured to, in response to determining that a level of activity of the negative pressure source over a first time duration satisfies at least one of a leak or blockage condition, provide an indication of at least one of a leak or blockage and, in response to determining that the level of activity does not satisfy the at least one of the leak or blockage condition over a second time duration subsequent to the first time duration, discontinue providing the indication.

Claims (41)

1 . A negative pressure wound therapy apparatus comprising:

a negative pressure source configured to provide negative pressure via a fluid flow path to a wound covered by a wound dressing; and

a controller configured to operate the negative pressure source to provide negative pressure to the wound, the controller further configured to:

monitor for an occurrence of a leak condition in the fluid flow path or a blockage condition in the fluid flow path during a time period of a plurality of time periods during which the negative pressure source provides negative pressure to the wound;

increment a counter responsive to detecting the occurrence of the leak condition in the fluid flow path or the blockage condition in the fluid flow path during the time period;

responsive to not detecting the occurrence of the leak condition in the fluid flow path or the blockage condition in the fluid flow path during the time period:

decrement the counter to a value that is greater than zero if the counter has a value greater than one, and

decrement the counter to a value of zero if the counter has a value of one;

responsive to the counter satisfying a first threshold, provide a first indication of the occurrence of the leak condition in the fluid flow path or the blockage condition in the fluid flow path; and

responsive to the counter no longer satisfying the first threshold, stop providing the first indication of the occurrence of the leak condition in the fluid flow path or the blockage condition in the fluid flow path.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

responsive to the counter satisfying a second threshold subsequent to the counter satisfying the first threshold, provide a second indication of the occurrence of the leak condition in the fluid flow path or the blockage condition in the fluid flow path, the second indication being different from the first indication.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first indication comprises an alert and the second indication comprises stopping provision of negative pressure to the wound by the negative pressure source.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second threshold exceeds the first threshold.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor for the occurrence of the leak condition in the fluid flow path or the blockage condition in the fluid flow path during the time period based on comparing a level of activity of the negative pressure source over the time period to a leak activity threshold or a blockage activity threshold.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the level of activity of the negative pressure source comprises a duty cycle of the negative pressure source.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

responsive to a determination that the negative pressure source is directly fluidically connected to the wound dressing, operate the negative pressure source in a first mode to provide negative pressure to the wound; and

responsive to a determination that the negative pressure source is fluidically connected to the wound dressing via a canister positioned in the fluid flow path, operate the negative pressure source in a second mode to provide negative pressure to the wound, the second mode being different from the first mode.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to set the first threshold based on operating the negative pressure source in the first mode or operating the negative pressure source in the second mode.

10 . A kit comprising the apparatus of claim 1 and the wound dressing.

11 . A method of operating a negative pressure wound therapy apparatus, the method comprising:

monitoring for an occurrence of a leak condition in a fluid flow path connecting the apparatus to a wound or a blockage condition in the fluid flow path during a time period of a plurality of time periods during which negative pressure is being provided to the wound;

at a first time, incrementing a counter responsive to detecting the occurrence of the leak condition or the blockage condition during the time period;

at a second time, responsive to not detecting the occurrence of the leak condition or the blockage condition during the time period:

at a third time, decrementing the counter to a value that is greater than zero if the counter has a value greater than one, and

at a fourth time, decrementing the counter to a value of zero if the counter has a value of one;

at a fifth time, responsive to the counter satisfying a first threshold, providing a first indication of the occurrence of the leak condition or the blockage condition; and

at a sixth time, responsive to the counter no longer satisfying the first threshold, stopping provision of the first indication of the occurrence of the leak condition or the blockage condition, wherein the method is performed under control of a controller of the apparatus.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

at a seventh time, responsive to the counter satisfying a second threshold subsequent to the counter satisfying the first threshold, providing a second indication of the occurrence of the leak condition or the blockage condition, the second indication being different from the first indication.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first indication comprises an alert and the second indication comprises stopping provision of negative pressure to the wound.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second threshold exceeds the first threshold.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein monitoring for the occurrence of the leak condition or the blockage condition during the time period comprises comparing a level of activity of a negative pressure source of the apparatus over the time period to a leak activity threshold or a blockage activity threshold.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of activity of the negative pressure source comprises a duty cycle of the negative pressure source.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

at a seventh time, responsive to determining that a negative pressure source of the apparatus is directly fluidically connected to a wound dressing covering the wound, operating in a first mode to provide negative pressure to the wound; and

at an eight time, responsive to determining that the negative pressure source is fluidically connected to the wound dressing via a canister positioned in the fluid flow path, operating in a second mode to provide negative pressure to the wound, the second mode being different from the first mode.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising setting the first threshold based on operating in the first mode or operating in the second mode.