Infrared wound healing unit

An infrared wound healing unit having a layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element which, when powered, emits heat that serves to heal a wound according to monochromatic infrared energy (MIRE) treatment of the wound. This infrared wound healing unit is arranged so that:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to the treatment and healing process of wounds and, in particular, to a wound healing unit that applies monochromal infrared energy to a wound to treat the wound and accelerate the healing process of the wound.

BACKGROUND

Skin contact monochromatic infrared energy (MIRE) therapy, also known as near-infrared energy therapy, involves delivering monochromatic infrared energy to a wound, whereby significant levels of heat are applied to the wound to accelerate the healing of the wound. MIRE therapy triggers the release of nitric oxide from the hemoglobin in the blood and proteins in the tissue being treated. Nitric oxide is a molecule produced by the body that is known to dilate arteries, veins, and lymphatic vessels, thereby improving circulation, decreasing swelling, and alleviating pain. In addition, the release of nitric oxide is believed to stimulate angiogenesis, or the process by which new blood vessels are created during healing and growth. Based on these properties, MIRE therapy has been proposed for the treatment of a wide variety of conditions, including muscle soreness, diabetic neuropathy, tendonitis, lymphedema, myofascial pain, temporomandibular disorders, and chronic skin ulcers.

MIRE therapy is conducted using equipment that transmits infrared energy to the site of the wound. A patient is treated and, after treatment, leaves the area where the equipment is located. The healing process is monitored and, if additional MIRE treatment is required, the patient returns for more treatment. Oftentimes, patients receive multiple MIRE therapy treatments that are spread over extended periods of time.

Multiple MIRE treatments require multiple trips to and from the location of the MIRE therapy equipment. Such trips might be as short as moving the patient from the patient's hospital room to the hospital MIRE therapy facility where the MIRE therapy equipment is located. In addition, the scheduling of MIRE therapy treatment can become a problem when the demand for access to the therapy equipment is high. Oftentimes, the nature of the wound is such that it is not necessary that treatment of the wound requires the services of a professional who is trained and experienced in MIRE therapy and the operation of MIRE therapy equipment.

SUMMARY

An infrared wound healing unit, constructed in accordance with the present invention, includes a first flexible frame member defining a first opening and a layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element mounted to the first flexible frame member. This infrared wound healing unit also includes a power unit, comprising a housing and a battery disposed within said housing, for supplying power to the layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element to heat the layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. An infrared wound healing unit, constructed in accordance with the present invention, further includes a second flexible frame member defining a second opening through which heat emitted from the layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element passes. The first flexible frame member and the second flexible frame member are connected together for relative pivotal movement between the two about a common axis and in line-of-sight alignment. An infrared wound healing unit, constructed in accordance with the present invention, further includes means for selectively supplying power from the power unit to the layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element and means for securing the infrared wound healing unit to a patient in proximity to the wound being treated. With this infrared wound healing unit, (a) heat emitted from the layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element passes through the second opening of the second flexible frame member to a wound of a patient to treat the wound, (b) the wound of the patient that is being treated can be viewed while heat is emitted from the layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element and passes through the second opening of the second flexible frame member to treat the wound, (c) the wound is accessible for other forms of treatment, and (d) the infrared wound healing unit remains secured to the patient while the wound is being viewed or treated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 through 4are various views of a first embodiment of an infrared wound healing unit constructed in accordance with the present invention. It will become apparent that this infrared wound healing unit is in the form of a disposable bandage that conforms to the shape of the body part of a patient to which it is applied.

This infrared wound healing unit includes a first flexible frame member10defining a first opening10a. First flexible frame member10can be formed of suitable plastic material, so that when the infrared wound healing unit is applied to a body part of a patient, it conforms to the shape of the body part of the patient to which it is applied.

The infrared wound healing unit illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 4also includes a layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element mounted to first flexible frame member10. Layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element can be one of a number of different materials, such as tin oxide, indium tin oxide, or antimony tin oxide, and is a sputtered or evaporated deposition on a thin layer flexible membrane of polyester or like colorless optically transparent polymer which, when electrically energized, emits a uniform thermal dispersion. For the present invention, the effective deposition of the optically and radiographically transparent material can have, for example, a thickness of 1800 to 2000 Angstroms.

The planar extent and thickness of layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element are selected to provide a sufficiently strong, but flexible, layer, so that when the infrared wound healing unit is applied to a body part of a patient, it conforms to the shape of the body part of the patient to which it is applied.

Layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element can be configured in different ways that depend upon the particular application of the infrared wound healing unit. For example, layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element can be configured to cover entirely first opening10ain first flexible frame10, as illustrated, or partially cover the first opening in the first flexible frame member.

The infrared wound healing unit illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 4also includes a power unit comprising a housing14and a battery15(represented by dashed lines inFIG. 1) having leads15aand15b(represented by dashed lines inFIG. 1) disposed within housing14. This power unit supplies power, via leads15aand15b, to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element to heat this layer and to emit infrared heat from this layer.

The infrared wound healing unit illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 4further includes a second flexible frame member16defining a second opening16athrough which heat emitted from layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element passes. Second flexible frame member16can be formed of suitable medical grade plastic material, for example a foam polymer such as PORON sold by Roger Co., Inc., so that when the infrared wound healing unit is applied to a body part of a patient, it conforms to the shape of the body part of the patient to which it is applied. Second flexible frame member16serves as a spacer that prevents layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element from making contact with a wound, represented inFIGS. 3 and 4by reference numeral18, that is being treated.

The infrared wound healing unit illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 4also includes means for connecting first flexible frame member10to second flexible frame member16, so that the two frame members can undergo relative pivotal movement, represented by dashed line arrows20inFIGS. 3 and 4, about a common axis and first opening10ain flexible frame member10and second opening16ain flexible frame member16are in line-of-sight alignment. As a result, heat emitted from layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element passes through second opening16aof second flexible frame member16to wound18of a patient that is being treated and the wound of the patient that is being treated can be viewed while heat is emitted from the layer of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element and passes through second opening16aof second flexible frame member16. This feature of the present invention is represented by an eyeball22and an arrow24inFIGS. 3 and 4. In addition, wound18can be treated in ways other than by the heat emitted from layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. This feature of the present invention is represented by fingers26aand26band a sanitary medical cotton swab28inFIGS. 3 and 4.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 4, battery housing14is connected to first flexible frame member10and second flexible frame member16for relative pivotal movement between the first flexible frame member, the second flexible frame member, and the power unit about a common axis in a manner similar to the different ways the pages of a book are bound together. Various means, such as mechanical hinges or adhesive bindings, can be used to connect together first flexible frame member10, second flexible frame member16, and the power unit for relative pivotal movement between these three components about a common axis.

The infrared wound healing unit illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 4preferably includes a reflective coating30disposed on a surface of battery housing14that faces layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element when the battery housing is flush against first flexible frame member10. Reflective coating30reflects infrared heat emitted by layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element, that might otherwise be wasted, toward wound18that is being treated. Reflective coating30can be, for example, a metalized surface conformal textile or deposited on a transparent medical grade flexible foam such as PORON. Preferably, reflective coating30is covered by a coating having a high dielectric constant for a number of reasons. One is to prevent electrical shorting of layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. A second is to eliminate the possibility of a chemical change of reflective coating30. A third is to eliminate the occurrence of chemical reactions, caused during pharmaceutical treatment of the wound that would reduce the reflectivity of reflective coating30, such as might occur when medications are applied to the would or chemicals are used for anti-biotic purposes.

FIG. 8is a schematic diagram of a circuit that can be used to selectively supply power to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element and to regulate the temperature of the infrared heat emitted by the layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. The circuit illustrated inFIG. 8includes a switch32that selectively connects battery15, by means of leads15aand15b, to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element to selectively supply power from the battery to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. Switch32can be of different well-known forms. It can be an ON/OFF switch that is accessible, as shown inFIG. 1, at the top of battery housing14for repeated closing and opening, or it can be a one-time release switch which, once closed, remains closed.

Also included in theFIG. 8circuit is a thermal sensor, represented by a switch34, that is positioned in proximity to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. The proximity of thermal sensor34to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element is represented by dashed lines36.

Thermal sensor34can be in the form of a conventional thermostat that senses the temperature in the vicinity of layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. and closes and opens in response to temperature changes in the vicinity of layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. Power is supplied to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element when thermal sensor34is closed and the supply of power is interrupted when the thermal sensor is opened, thereby selectively connecting battery15to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element and regulating the temperature of the infrared heat emitted by layer12. Power is conducted from battery15to a pair of conductive strips12aand12bthat are deposited on layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element which, in turn, conduct power to layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element. Thermal sensor34can be arranged to function at a single preset temperature or at a temperature, within a preset temperature range, that is selected by a clinician.

The infrared wound healing unit ofFIGS. 1 through 4further includes means for securing the infrared wound healing unit to a patient in proximity to the wound being treated. Such means can include, for example, a plurality of adhesive sectors40at the corners of the free surface of second flexible frame member16as illustrated inFIG. 2. Any of the many commercially available medical grade adhesives that are specifically arranged for contact with the skin of a patient can be used.

The infrared wound healing unit just described provides the following benefits:(a) a wound being treated by layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element can be viewed by a clinician without disrupting the infrared heat treatment of the wound, and(b) a wound being treated by layer12of an optically and radiographically transparent flexible heating element is accessible for other forms of treatment without removing the infrared wound healing unit from the patient being treated.

FIGS. 5 through 7illustrate a second embodiment of an infrared wound healing unit constructed in accordance with the present invention. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the way in which the first flexible frame member50, the second flexible frame member52, and the battery housing54are connected to one another. Instead of being held together in a manner similar to the way pages of a book are bound to one another, in the embodiment of the present invention illustrated inFIGS. 5 through 7, first flexible frame member50and second flexible frame member52are connected for relative pivotal movement about a first common axis and battery housing54and first flexible frame member50are connected for relative pivotal movement about a second common axis spaced from the first common axis. In all other respects, the two embodiments of the present invention are similar, so a more detailed description of the second embodiment is not provided.

The benefits provided by the first embodiment of the present invention that are identified above also are provided by the second embodiment of the present.