US 11,925,735 B2
Positioning of sensors for sensor enabled wound monitoring or therapy
Philip Gowans, Doncaster (GB); Allan Kenneth Frazer Grugeon Hunt, Beverley (GB); Marcus Damian Phillips, Wakefield (GB); Damian Smith, Swanland (GB); and Charlotte Urwin, Hull (GB)
Appl. No. 16/638,074
Filed by Smith & Nephew PLC, Watford (GB)
PCT Filed Aug. 10, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/071767
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 10, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/030384, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/543,909, filed on Aug. 10, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0289347 A1, Sep. 17, 2020
Int. Cl. A61M 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/0531 (2021.01); A61B 5/1455 (2006.01); A61F 13/84 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 1/00 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0531 (2013.01); A61B 5/14551 (2013.01); A61B 5/445 (2013.01); A61F 13/84 (2013.01); A61M 1/73 (2021.05); A61M 1/915 (2021.05); A61M 1/916 (2021.05); A61M 1/95 (2021.05); A61B 2560/0468 (2013.01); A61B 2562/063 (2013.01); A61B 2562/08 (2013.01); A61F 2013/8473 (2013.01); A61F 2013/8497 (2013.01); A61M 1/982 (2021.05); A61M 1/985 (2021.05)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wound monitoring and/or therapy system, comprising:
a wound dressing configured to be positioned in contact with a wound, the wound dressing comprising:
a plurality of sensors configured to measure one or more wound characteristics, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged on a string of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors are positioned on a wound-facing surface of the string of sensors so that the plurality of sensors comes into contact with the wound, wherein the string of sensors is configured to be curved about itself when positioned within the wound; and
a plurality of conductive tracks interconnecting the plurality of sensors, the plurality of conductive tracks configured to maintain connectivity when the wound dressing has been stretched;
at least one positioning device configured to indicate position and/or orientation in the wound of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
a detector configured to determine, based on the indicated position and/or orientation, the position and/or orientation in the wound of the first sensor of the plurality of sensors.
 
14. A method of operating a wound monitoring and/or therapy system comprising a wound dressing including a plurality of sensors arranged on a string of sensors configured to measure one or more wound characteristics, wherein the plurality of sensors are positioned on a wound-facing surface of the string of sensors so that the plurality of sensors comes into contact with a wound and a plurality of conductive tracks interconnecting the plurality of sensors, the plurality of conductive tracks configured to maintain connectivity when the wound dressing has been stretched, wherein the string of sensors is configured to be curved about itself within the wound, the method comprising:
collecting, from a positioning device positioned in or on the wound dressing, positioning data with a detector positioned over the wound dressing when the wound dressing is positioned over the wound; and
determining, with a controller, position and/or orientation in the wound of a first sensor from the plurality of sensors based on the positioning data.
 
15. A wound monitoring and/or therapy system, comprising:
a wound dressing configured to be positioned in contact with a wound;
a sensor string comprising a plurality of sensors configured to measure one or more wound characteristics and a plurality of conductive tracks interconnecting the plurality of sensors, the plurality of conductive tracks configured to maintain connectivity when the wound dressing has been stretched, wherein the plurality of sensors are positioned on a wound-facing surface of the sensor string so that the plurality of sensors comes into contact with the wound, wherein the sensor string is configured to be arranged as a spiral when positioned within the wound; and
wherein the sensor string is configured to be positioned in at least one of the wound or an area surrounding the wound.