Detecting infection in reduced pressure wound treatment
View Patent ↗Provided is a method of detecting infection in a wound caused by an infecting organism at a wound site. Also provided is a system for detecting an infection in a wound at a wound site. Additionally, a porous pad comprising luciferase is provided.
1. A method of detecting infection in a wound caused by an infecting organism at a wound site, the method comprising:
applying a reduced pressure to the wound site from an apparatus comprising:
a source of reduced pressure;
a porous pad adapted to deliver the reduced pressure to the wound site, wherein the porous pad comprises luciferase and luciferin;
a conduit fluidly connecting the porous pad to the source of reduced pressure; and
a photodetector capable of measuring light;
withdrawing fluid from the wound site in response to the reduced pressure;
assaying the fluid from the wound site for a product of the infection, by measuring light emitted from the fluid with said photodetector; and
identifying increasing concentrations of the product of infection indicative of an infection in the wound.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infecting organism is a bacterium.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wound comprises a tissue selected from the group consisting of dermal tissue, bone tissue, cartilage, tendon, ligament, muscle, nerve tissue, subcutaneous tissue, and adipose tissue.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product of the infection is adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP).
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein assaying the fluid comprises measuring light produced by combining the product of the infection with luciferase and luciferin.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying increasing concentrations comprises quantifying the ATP by measuring light produced in a reaction between the fluid withdrawn, luciferase, and luciferin.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a reservoir adapted for collection of the fluid.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the luciferase is covalently bound to the porous pad.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a computer linked to the photodetector, wherein the computer is capable of recording the light measurements from the photodetector.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further capable of determining whether the recorded light measurements indicate infection in the wound.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a supply line into the porous pad for the introduction of an infection-controlling compound to the wound.
12. A method of detecting infection in a wound caused by an infecting organism at a wound site, the method of comprising:
providing fluid collection from a wound site in response to reduced pressure applied to the wound site from an apparatus comprising:
a source of reduced pressure;
a porous pad adapted to deliver the reduced pressure to the wound site wherein the porous pad comprises luciferase and luciferin;
a conduit fluidly connecting the porous pad to the source of reduced pressure; and
a photodetector capable of measuring light;
assaying the fluid collected from the wound site for a product of the infection with said photodetector; and
identifying increasing concentrations of the product of infection indicative of an infection in the wound.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wound comprises a tissue selected from the group consisting of dermal tissue, bone tissue, cartilage, tendon, ligament, muscle, nerve tissue, subcutaneous tissue, and adipose tissue.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the product of the infection is adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP).
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein identifying increasing concentrations comprises measuring light produced in a reaction between the fluid withdrawn, luciferase, and luciferin to quantify the ATP.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein assaying the fluid collected comprises combining the fluid collected with luciferase and luciferin to produce a reaction, and then measuring light produced from the reaction to detect the ATP.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein identifying increasing concentrations comprises quantifying the ATP by measuring light produced in a reaction between the fluid withdrawn, luciferase, and luciferin.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a computer linked to the photodetector, wherein the computer is capable of recording the light measurements from the photodetector.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the computer is further capable of determining whether the recorded light measurements indicate infection in the wound.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a supply line into the porous pad for the introduction of an infection-controlling compound to the wound.
21. The method of claim 1 or 12 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a drape.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the photodetector is integrated with the drape.