Abstract
Chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, and venous leg ulcers, affect over 40 million individuals worldwide and are often complicated by delayed healing due to limited access to continuous monitoring. Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is an established treatment that promotes wound healing through controlled sub-atmospheric pressure. However, conventional NPWT systems lack real-time physiological feedback and require frequent in-person follow-ups, limiting their effectiveness in remote or low-resource settings. This study presents WoundWatch, a portable, low-cost NPWT device that integrates real-time temperature, humidity, and pressure sensing with wireless data transmission via an IoT platform. The system includes a vacuum pump, Arduino-based control unit, pressure and environmental sensors, and a Wi-Fi module, with a user interface allowing precise pressure adjustment from −50 to −200 mmHg. Preliminary pressure control tests demonstrated that WoundWatch consistently maintained pressure within ±10 mmHg of target values, with real-time data reliably transmitted to a clinician dashboard. By enabling continuous wound assessment and remote clinician feedback, WoundWatch offers a scalable solution for decentralized wound care. Its affordability and portability make it ideal for use in rural, elderly, or mobility-limited populations. Future work will focus on in-vitro validation to advance toward clinical deployment.
Recommended Citation
Senthil Nathan, Swetha
(2025)
"Development and Preliminary Pressure Control Validation of WoundWatch: NPWT System with Remote Monitoring Capabilities,"
The Cardinal Edge: Vol. 3:
Iss.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://ir.library.louisville.edu/tce/vol3/iss1/6