Systems and methods for treating a tissue site with reduced pressure involving a reduced-pressure interface having a multi-lumen conduit for contacting a manifold

1. A system for treating a tissue site, comprising:

a distribution manifold for placing proximate to the tissue site;

a sealing member for covering the distribution manifold;

a reduced-pressure interface for coupling to the sealing member and comprising a housing forming a cavity adapted to collapse;

a reduced-pressure source; and

a multi-lumen conduit comprising at least one sensing lumen configured to be drawn into contact with the distribution manifold.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-lumen conduit further comprises a primary lumen for delivering reduced pressure, and wherein the primary lumen comprises a central lumen and the at least one sensing lumen comprises a peripheral lumen.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein a distal end of the primary lumen and a distal end of the at least one sensing lumen contact the distribution manifold.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the reduced-pressure interface is fluidly coupled to the distribution manifold through an aperture in the sealing member.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing is adapted to collapse when exposed to a pressure (P c ) in the cavity that is less than a threshold pressure (P t ).

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an instrumentation unit fluidly coupled to the at least one sensing lumen, wherein the instrumentation unit includes a pressure sensor and a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to process a pressure signal from the pressure sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reduced-pressure interface further comprises:

a cutting element at least temporarily coupled to the housing proximate to a tissue-facing opening, the cutting element adapted to form an aperture in the sealing member if the housing collapses.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the cutting element is formed from a water soluble material.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the distribution manifold has a thickness greater than T when under the influence of reduced pressure at an operating level, wherein the cutting element has a piercing length (L p ), wherein L p <T, and wherein the cutting element creates an aperture in the distribution manifold.

10. A method for treating a tissue site, comprising:

disposing a distribution manifold proximate to the tissue site;

covering the distribution manifold with a sealing member to form a sealed space in which the distribution manifold is disposed;

coupling a reduced-pressure interface to the sealing member, wherein the reduced-pressure interface comprises a semi-rigid material forming a cavity adapted to collapse;

fluidly coupling a first conduit and a second conduit to the cavity;

collapsing the cavity to dispose an end of the second conduit in contact with the distribution manifold; and

delivering reduced pressure through the first conduit to the cavity.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising monitoring levels of the reduced pressure through the second conduit.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein collapsing the cavity comprises applying reduced pressure through the reduced-pressure interface to pull a portion of the distribution manifold into the cavity such that the distribution manifold contacts the second conduit.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein collapsing the cavity comprises manually applying a driving force to an exterior of the reduced-pressure interface.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the semi-rigid material is adapted to collapse when under reduced pressure less than a threshold pressure (P t ).

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein fluidly coupling the first conduit and the second conduit to the cavity comprises:

driving a cutting member through the sealing member to create an aperture in the sealing member; and

dissolving the cutting member causing the second conduit to contact the distribution manifold through the aperture in the sealing member.