Abdominal wound dressing

• US 20040030304A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: KCI Licensing Incorporated (3M Company)
• Inventors: Heaton, Keith, Hunt, Kenneth, Schroeder, Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 7,381,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/317
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01042 Absorbency
• 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 2013/0028 applying of mechanical pressure; passive massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/22 containing macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/24 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives thereof A61L15/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/26 Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives thereof A61L15/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/425 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• 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 2210/1021 Abdominal cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202

Abstract

A system and method for the temporary closure of a wound, especially an abdominal wound, to facilitate re-entry, final closure, and long term healing of the wound. An abdominal wound dressing and methods of use are described that enable the application of negative pressure to the wound site in a site healing promoting manner while also limiting the formation of adhesions that would prevent the removal of the dressing. The dressing comprises a layer of porous foam material (36) enclosed by sheets of elastomeric material (38) punctuated by a number of appropriately placed holes (34). Multiple layers of porous foam may also be used. A suction tube connector (16) is provided on an upper surface of a layer of foam (12) for connection to a negative pressure source. At least one layer of foam is enclosed in elastomeric material and is placed in direct contact with the tissue within the open wound. Fluids are drawn by negative pressure through the holes positioned in the elastomeric envelope, and through the foam. If multiple foam layers are employed, the lower layer(s) of foam are of a finer porosity while the upper layer of foam is coarse. An adhesive elastomeric sheet (14) covers the entire wound dressing and seals the edges to the skin surrounding the wound. An appropriate vacuum device is attached to the suction tube connector.

Claims

1. A removable wound closure which comprises a porous pad which is permeable to fluids for placement on or in a wound, the porous pad comprising a polymer foam having interconnecting cells and a sheet of flexible plastics film having a plurality of holes distributed over its surface, the plastics film being in contact with a surface of porous pad so that in use, the plastics film is disposed between the surface of the wound and the pad, a film drape which is impermeable to liquids for placement over the porous pad, the film drape having an adhesive perimeter for sealing to an area of skin surrounding the wound and connection means extending through the film drape and in flow communication with the porous pad for connection to a source of negative pressure for stimulating a flow of exuded fluids from the wound.

2. A closure according to claim 1 wherein the holes in the flexible plastics film comprise slits or slots.

3. A closure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the flexible plastics film is an elastomeric film material.

4. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the connection means comprises a flange portion which is disposed between the film drape and the porous pad and a tubular portion which extends through the drape for connection to the source of negative pressure.

5. A closure according to claim 4 wherein the flange portion of the connection means includes channels for directing flow of fluid from the porous pad to the tubular portion.

6. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a second sheet of flexible film is disposed between the film drape and the porous pad, said second sheet of flexible film being sealed to the first sheet of flexible film around their respective perimeters to form an envelope and the second sheet of flexible film being formed with holes so that when the connection means is connected to a source of negative pressure, wound exudate is drawn through the porous pad and out of the pad through the holes in the second flexible sheet.

7. A closure according to claim 6 wherein the perimeters of the flexible films are sealed together to form a flange of joined film extending outwardly beyond the perimeter of the porous pad.

8. A closure according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the holes in the first flexible sheet are offset with respect to the holes in the second flexible film.

9. A closure according to any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the holes in the first flexible sheet are aligned with holes within a first contiguous portion of the porous pad and the holes in the second flexible sheet are aligned with holes in a second contiguous portion of the porous pad.

10. A closure according to claim 9 wherein the porous pad comprises two or more layers of polymer foam having interconnecting cells.

11. A closure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the porous pad comprises a polymer foam having at least 90% of interconnecting cells.

12. A closure according to any one of claims 6 to 11 wherein an additional porous pad is disposed between the second sheet of flexible film and the film drape.

13. A removable wound dressing, especially as would be applied to a large open wound that requires the drainage of fluid therefrom, said dressing comprising:

a first porous pad, permeable to fluids, for placement in contact with the wound, said first porous pad comprising;

a foam pad comprising a polymer based foam having interconnecting cells and having a plurality of dispersed transverse holes; and

sheets of elastomeric film, sealed at their periphery, said first sheet of elastomeric film having a plurality of dispersed holes therein, said second sheet of elastomeric film having a plurality of dispersed holes therein, said dispersed holes in said second sheet being aligned with said dispersed holes in said first sheet;

a film drape, impermeable to fluids, for placement over said second porous pad and said first porous pad placed over said wound, said film drape comprising an adhesive perimeter for adhering said drape to an area of skin surrounding said wound; and

a tube connector positioned through said film drape and in flow communication with said porous pad, for connection to a source of negative pressure for initiating a flow of exuded fluids from said wound.

14. A removable wound dressing, according to claim 13, the dressing additionally comprising:

an elastomeric envelope comprising first and second sheets of elastomeric film sealed at their periphery, and enclosing said foam pad, said first sheet of elastomeric film having a plurality of dispersed holes therein, said dispersed holes being offset from alignment with said dispersed holes in said foam pad, said second sheet of elastomeric film having a plurality of dispersed holes therein, said dispersed holes in said second sheet being aligned with said dispersed holes in said foam pad, and

a second porous pad, permeable to fluids, for placement over, and in contact with, said first porous pad, said second porous pad comprising a polymer foam having interconnecting cells.

15. A removable wound dressing, especially as would be applied to a large open wound that requires the drainage of fluid there from, the dressing comprising:

a first porous pad, permeable to fluids, for placement in contact with the wound, said first porous pad comprising;

a foam pad comprising a polymer based foam having interconnecting cells and having a plurality of dispersed transverse holes; and

an elastomeric envelope comprising first and second sheets of elastomeric film, sealed at their periphery, and enclosing said foam pad, said first sheet of elastomeric film having a plurality of dispersed holes therein, said dispersed holes being offset from alignment with said dispersed holes in said foam pad, said second sheet of elastomeric film having a plurality of dispersed holes therein, said dispersed holes in said second sheet being aligned with said dispersed holes in said foam pad;

a second porous pad, permeable to fluids, for placement over, and in contact with, said first porous pad, said second porous pad comprising a polymer foam having interconnecting cells;

a film drape, impermeable to fluids, for placement over said second porous pad and said first porous pad placed over said wound, said film drape comprising an adhesive perimeter for adhering said drape to an area of skin surrounding said wound; and

a tubular connector positioned through said film drape and in flow communication with said second porous pad, for connection to a source of negative pressure for initiating a flow of exuded fluids from said wound.

16. A method for the temporary closure and drainage of an open wound, especially as for a surgical abdominal wound that may require repeated access there through into the abdominal cavity, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a flexible film having a plurality of holes therein and placing the film in contact with the wound, providing a porous pad of a size at least as large as said open wound;

placing said porous pad on top of the film leaving a surface portion of said porous pad exposed;

sealing said flexible film and porous pad within said wound with a removable adhesive elastomeric film positioned in contact with an area of skin surrounding said wound; and

providing a negative pressure through said seal into said porous pad for drawing a flow of exuded fluids from said wound.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the porous pad is contained in an envelope of flexible film, the film being sealed around the periphery of the porous pad and the film forming upper and lower surfaces of said envelope each having a plural of apertures therein and the method comprising the steps of placing said envelope in contact with the wound and sealing the envelope within the wound using a removable adhesive elastomeric film positioned over said envelope and in contact with skin surrounding the wound and applying negative pressure through the seal.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein a second porous pad is placed over said envelope and a seal established by placing the adhesive elastomeric film over the envelope and second porous pad.