Collapsible dressing for negative pressure wound treatment

• US 10,201,642 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Inventors: Hartwell, Edward Yerbury, Brownhill, Varuni Rachindra, Gowans, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva, Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Treyger, Ilya
• Application Number:
  US15/113,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20170007751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00059 provided with visual effects, e.g. printed or colored
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0206 with absorbent fibrous layers, e.g. woven or non-woven absorbent pads or island dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0209 comprising superabsorbent material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/022 having more than one layer with different fluid retention characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0223 characterized by parametric properties of the fluid retention layer, e.g. absorbency, wicking capacity, liquid distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/05 specially adapted for use with sub-pressure or over-pressure therapy, wound drainage or wound irrigation, e.g. for use with negative-pressure wound therapy [NPWT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00182 with transparent part
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/90 Negative pressure wound therapy devices, i.e. devices for applying suction to a wound to promote healing, e.g. including a vacuum dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/91 Suction aspects of the dressing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/12 characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to negative pressure treatment systems and wound dressing systems, apparatuses, and methods that may be used for the treatment of wounds. In particular, some embodiments are directed to improved wound dressings comprising an obscuring layer that may hide fluid contained therein and a stabilizing structure that may aid in wound closure.

Claims

1. A negative pressure wound treatment apparatus, comprising:

a wound dressing comprising a backing layer and a stabilizing structure positioned below the backing layer, wherein the backing layer and the stabilizing structure are configured as a single unit for placement simultaneously over a wound, and wherein the stabilizing structure is configured for placement over skin surrounding the wound;

a port for communicating negative pressure to the wound dressing;

wherein the stabilizing structure is configured to collapse significantly more within a horizontal plane than within a vertical plane to apply a horizontal force to the skin surrounding the wound when the wound dressing is placed under negative pressure; and

an absorbent layer comprising a plurality of through holes, at least some of the plurality of through holes filled with a plug material to provide the absorbent layer with increased vertical rigidity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wound dressing further comprises a wound contact layer, wherein the stabilizing structure is positioned between the backing layer and the wound contact layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wound dressing further comprises an acquisition distribution layer between the stabilizing structure and the backing layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the absorbent layer is positioned between the stabilizing structure and the backing layer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive configured to attach the wound dressing to the skin surrounding the wound.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wound dressing is configured to relieve stress applied to sutures applied to the wound.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the backing layer is transparent or translucent.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing structure is less than 20% as thick as it is wide or long.

9. A method of treating a wound with the claim 1, comprising:

placing the wound dressing over the wound with the stabilizing structure positioned over the skin surrounding the wound;

applying negative pressure to the wound through the port; and

wherein the stabilizing structure applies a horizontal force to the skin surrounding the wound when placed under negative pressure.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plug material is transparent.

10. A negative pressure wound treatment apparatus, comprising:

a wound dressing comprising a backing layer, an absorbent layer, and a stabilizing structure positioned below the absorbent layer, wherein the backing layer, absorbent layer, and the stabilizing structure are configured as a single unit for placement simultaneously over a wound, and wherein the stabilizing structure is configured for placement over skin surrounding the wound;

wherein the absorbent layer comprises a plurality of through holes;

wherein the stabilizing structure is configured to collapse significantly more within a horizontal plane than within a vertical plane to apply a horizontal force to the skin surrounding the wound when the wound dressing is placed under negative pressure; and

wherein at least some of the plurality of through holes is filled with a plug material to provide the absorbent layer with increased vertical rigidity.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plug material is transparent.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the absorbent layer is configured to collapse significantly more within a horizontal plane than within a vertical plane.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a wound contact layer beneath the stabilizing structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the backing layer is transparent.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising plug material within cells of the stabilizing structure.