Reduced-pressure wound treatment systems and methods employing microstrain-inducing manifolds
Microstrain-inducing manifolds, systems, and methods are presented that involve microstrain-inducing manifolds that include a plurality of shaped projections for creating microstrain. The shaped projections may be tapered projections. A system may include a sealing member for placing over the tissue site, a microstrain-inducing manifold, and a reduced-pressure subsystem that delivers reduced pressure to the sealing member. The reduced pressure causes the shaped projections to create microstrain at the tissue site. Other methods, apparatuses, and systems are also presented.
1. An apparatus for treating a tissue site, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of connecting members, each connecting member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a length between the first end and the second end;
a plurality of nodes, each node coupled to the first end of at least one connecting member, and each node coupled to the second end of at least one other connecting member to form a layer having a plurality of flowpaths across the layer, wherein each node is coplanar with adjacent nodes; and
a plurality of shaped projections coupled to the plurality of nodes.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each node of the plurality of nodes has at least one shaped projection of the plurality of shaped projections coupled to the node.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the plurality of shaped projections are coupled to the nodes of the first portion.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shaped projections comprise cones.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the cones comprise a first portion having a first pitch and a second portion having a second pitch, each node of the plurality of nodes having at least one cone having the first pitch and at least one cone having the second pitch.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connecting members comprises a first plurality of connecting members, the plurality of nodes comprise a first plurality of nodes, the plurality of shaped projections comprise a first plurality of projections, and the layer comprises a first layer, the apparatus further comprising:
a second plurality of connecting members, each connecting member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a length between the first end and the second end;
a second plurality of nodes, each node coupled to the first end of at least one connecting member, and each node coupled to the second end of at least one other connecting member to form a second layer having a plurality of flowpaths across the second layer; and
a second plurality of shaped projections coupled to the plurality of nodes;
wherein the second layer is configured to be disposed over the first layer.
7. A system for treating a tissue site, the system comprising:
a sealing member configured to be disposed over a tissue site;
a source of reduced pressure configured to be fluidly coupled to the tissue site through the sealing member; and
a manifold configured to be disposed between the tissue site and the sealing member, the manifold configured to induce microstrain in the tissue site, the manifold comprising:
a plurality of lateral members, each lateral member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a length between the first end and the second end;
a plurality of nodes, each node coupled to the first end of at least one lateral member, and each node coupled to the second end of at least one other lateral member to form a layer having a plurality of flowpaths across the layer, wherein each node is coplanar with adjacent nodes; and
a plurality of shaped protrusions coupled to the plurality of nodes.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein each node of the plurality of nodes has at least one shaped protrusion of the plurality of shaped protrusions coupled to the node.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the plurality of shaped protrusions are coupled to the nodes of the first portion.
10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the shaped protrusions comprise cones.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the cones comprise a first portion having a first pitch and a second portion having a second pitch, each node of the plurality of nodes having at least one cone having the first pitch and at least one cone having the second pitch.
12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of lateral members comprises a first plurality of lateral members, the plurality of nodes comprise a first plurality of nodes, the plurality of shaped protrusions comprise a first plurality of protrusions, and the layer comprises a first layer, the manifold further comprising:
a second plurality of lateral members, each lateral member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a length between the first end and the second end;
a second plurality of nodes, each node coupled to the first end of at least one lateral member, and each node coupled to the second end of at least one other lateral member to form a second layer having a plurality of flowpaths across the second layer; and
a second plurality of shaped protrusions coupled to the plurality of nodes;
wherein the second layer is configured to be disposed over the first layer.
13. A method of manufacturing a manifold, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of connecting members, each connecting member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a length between the first end and the second end;
providing a plurality of nodes;
positioning each node coplanar with adjacent nodes;
coupling each node to the first end of at least one connecting member;
coupling each node to the second end of at least one other connecting member to form a layer having a plurality of flowpaths across the layer; and
coupling a plurality of shaped projections to the plurality of nodes.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises coupling at least one shaped projection of the plurality of shaped projections to each node of the plurality of nodes.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the method further comprises coupling the plurality of shaped projections to the nodes of the first portion.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the shaped projections comprise cones and the cones comprise a first portion having a first pitch and a second portion having a second pitch, the method further comprising coupling at least one cone having the first pitch and at least one cone having the second pitch to each node of the plurality of nodes.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of connecting members comprises a first plurality of connecting members, the plurality of nodes comprise a first plurality of nodes, the plurality of shaped projections comprise a first plurality of projections, and the layer comprises a first layer, the method further comprising:
providing a second plurality of connecting members, each connecting member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a length between the first end and the second end;
providing a second plurality of nodes;
coupling each node to the first end of at least one connecting member;
coupling each node to the second end of at least one other connecting member to form a second layer having a plurality of flowpaths across the second layer; and
coupling a second plurality of shaped projections to the plurality of nodes;
wherein the second layer is configured to be disposed over the first layer.