Tissue healing

• US 10,231,878 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tjsmith & Nephew Limited (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew PLC
• Inventors: Hartwell, Samantha Dawn, Hudson, Donald Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcetich, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/118,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20140350494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,694 Days
• 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 13/022 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 13/0243 characterised by the properties of the skin contacting layer, e.g. air-vapor permeability
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0253 characterized by the adhesive material
• 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: A61M 1/915 Constructional details of the pressure distribution manifold
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/916 specially adapted for deep wounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/985 the dressing itself forming the collection container
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7536 allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus are disclosed for dressing a wound and for minimizing scarring. The apparatus promotes scar-minimizing healing of a wound where negative pressure wound therapy is applied, and comprises a wound contact layer containing silicone, polysiloxanes, or other related compounds.

Claims

1. An apparatus for promoting scar-free healing at a tissue site where negative pressure is applied, the apparatus comprising:

a tissue contact layer comprising silicone and an open area in an amount sufficient to inhibit scar tissue formation when negative pressure is applied at the tissue site wherein the tissue contact layer is configured to be placed over a wound at the tissue site; and

a transmission layer positioned over the tissue contact layer; and

wherein the tissue contact layer comprises a plurality of apertures, the combined area of the apertures comprising the open area, the open area comprising around 20% or less of an overall area of the tissue contact layer; and

wherein the tissue contact layer is configured to reduce scar tissue formation by at least one point on the Vancouver or Manchester Scar Scale after negative pressure is applied through the tissue contact layer for a period of time sufficient to close the wound, compared to if negative pressure is applied at the tissue site without using said tissue contact layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the through holes comprise one or more of slits, slots, circular holes, square holes, polygonal holes and elliptical holes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the tissue contact layer comprises a silicone adhesive layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising at least one exudate absorbing layer proximate to said tissue contact layer for holding exudate removed from a wound site via said open area.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tissue contact layer comprises a silicone based adhesive being present in amounts and proportions sufficient to inhibit scar tissue formation when negative pressure is applied at the tissue site.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the silicone comprises polysiloxane, polyorganosiloxane, or polydimethylsiloxane.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a source of negative pressure connectable to the tissue site, said source being adapted to provide continuous negative pressure and/or intermittent negative pressure.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the tissue site comprises a wound site and said negative pressure comprises negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT).

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the open area comprises about 17.5% of the total area of a single side of the tissue contact layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate an electrostatic charge at an interface between the tissue contact layer and a tissue site during application of negative pressure wound therapy.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of apertures comprise a length of about 1.3 mm to about 1.5 mm.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tissue contact layer is configured to be placed over a wound in which skin is torn, cut or punctured, and wherein the tissue contact layer is configured to reduce scar tissue formation by at least one point on the Vancouver or Manchester Scar Scale after negative pressure is applied through the tissue contact layer for a period of time sufficient to close the tear, cut or puncture in the skin, compared to if negative pressure is applied at the tissue site without using said tissue contact layer.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tissue contact layer is configured to be placed over a post-surgical wound, and wherein the tissue contact layer is configured to reduce scar tissue formation by at least one point on the Vancouver or Manchester Scar Scale after negative pressure is applied through the tissue contact layer for a period of time sufficient to close the post-surgical wound, compared to if negative pressure is applied at the tissue site without using said tissue contact layer.

14. A method for promoting scar-free healing, the method comprising:

positioning a wound dressing over a wound at a wound site, the wound dressing comprising a silicone wound contact layer positioned in direct contact with the wound and a transmission layer positioned over the wound contact layer, the silicone wound contact layer comprising a plurality of apertures, the combined area of the apertures comprising the open area, the open area comprising around 20% or less of an overall area of the wound contact layer; and

applying negative pressure to the wound through the wound contact layer for a period of time sufficient to close the wound;

wherein scar tissue formation at the wound site after the wound has been closed is reduced by at least one point on the Vancouver or Manchester Scar Scale compared to scar tissue formation that would have occurred using a wound dressing without said silicone wound contact layer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of apertures comprise a length of about 1.3 mm to about 1.5 mm.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the wound comprises a wound in which skin has been torn, cut or punctured.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the wound comprises a post-surgical wound.