Patent ID: 11931165
Assignee: SMITH & NEPHEW PLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  H | IPC A  H

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus for use in monitoring or treating a wound, the apparatus comprising:
a wound dressing configured to be positioned over a wound of a patient and absorb wound exudate from the wound, the wound dressing comprising a wound contact layer and an absorbent layer, the wound contact layer having a surface area that is at least as large as the absorbent layer and configured to contact the wound, the wound contact layer being flexible, the absorbent layer being configured to store the wound exudate;
an elastomer substrate incorporated in or coupled to the wound contact layer, the elastomer substrate being flexible and having a first conductive pathway formed from ink on at least part of a perimeter of a first side of the elastomer substrate, the first conductive pathway being electrically coupled to an electrical ground plane for the elastomer substrate, the electrical ground plane being formed from ink;
a sensor mounted on the elastomer substrate, the sensor being configured to output a signal usable to determine a value indicative of a physiological parameter of the patient; and
a conformal coating comprising biocompatible material and encapsulating the elastomer substrate and the sensor,
wherein the first conductive pathway is configured to protect the sensor against an electrostatic discharge.