Patent ID: 7524315

Claim:
An apparatus for aspirating, irrigating and/or cleansing wounds, comprising a) a fluid flowpath, comprising i) a conformable wound dressing, having a backing layer capable of forming a relatively fluid-tight seal or closure over a wound, the backing layer comprising a wound-facing face, at least one inlet conduit for moving a fluid in the flowpath to the wound, wherein the at least one inlet conduit passes through or under the wound-facing face of the backing layer, at least one outlet conduit for moving the fluid in the flowpath from the wound, wherein the at least one outlet conduit passes through or under the wound-facing face of the backing layer, the backing layer forming a relatively fluid-tight seal or closure at the at least one inlet conduit and the at least one outlet conduit, and ii) means for fluid cleansing communicating with the at least one inlet conduit and the at least one outlet conduit and adapted to remove from the fluid in the flowpath one or more materials deleterious to wound healing; b) a fluid reservoir switchably connected to an integer of the flowpath via means for flow switching in the flowpath between supply of a fluid from the fluid reservoir, recirculation of the fluid in the flowpath, and a combination of the supply and the recirculation, wherein the fluid in the flowpath comprises an exudate from the wound or the fluid from the fluid reservoir, or a combination thereof; and c) a device for moving the fluid through the flowpath.