Medical device

• US 20060264796A1
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Argentum Medical LLC
• Original Assignee: Argentum Medical LLC
• Inventors: Miller, Thomas, Flick, A. Bartholomew, Silver, Gregg
• Granted Patent: US 8,801,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00063 comprising medicaments or additives, e.g. odor control, PH control, debriding, antimicrobic drug delivery dressings A61K9/70; chemical aspect of the additives A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/022 having more than one layer with different fluid retention characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/36 Surgical swabs, e.g. for absorbency or packing body cavities during surgery A61F13/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00119 elastic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00251 with macroscopic openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00327 to create projections or depressions in surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00553 with detachable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00578 conformable; soft or flexible, e.g. elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00604 Multilayer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0074 containing foams
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00859 with macroscopic openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0091 with disinfecting or anaesthetics means, e.g. anti-mycrobic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00936 metal wound bandages with a metallic layer A61F2013/00234

Abstract

A medical device for example a wound dressing having antibacterial and optionally, antifungal properties, are provided together with methods for making the device. An exemplary dressing includes a layer of silver-containing fabric, (optionally) a layer of absorbent material, and (optionally) a layer of flexible air-permeable and/or water-impermeable material. The dressing can be used for prophylactic and therapeutic care and treatment of skin infections and surface wounds (including surgical incisions), as a packing material, and as a swab for surface cleaning.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first conformable, conductive fabric comprising

a) an anti-microbial metal;

b) a surface resistance of less than about 1,000 ohms/cm²; and

c) a plurality of apertures effective to provide the device with a liquid wicking value of at least about 5%.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the liquid wicking value is at least about 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% or more.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the apertures have an average diameter of less than about 0.2 microns.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the anti-microbial metal comprises silver.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the anti-microbial metal comprises approximately 5 to about 20 wt. % silver.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface resistance is no greater than approximately 5 Ω

/cm².

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface resistance is no greater than approximately 1 Ω

/cm².

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises one or more polymers, fibers, yarns, foams, or combinations thereof.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more yarns comprises a synthetic polymer fiber and an elastic component.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the elastic component comprises a long-chain synthetic polymer comprising at least 85% of a segmented polyurethane.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the elastic component is not coated with the anti-microbial metal.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the elastic component is wrapped around the synthetic polymer fiber.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the synthetic polymer fiber comprises nylon.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second layer.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the second layer comprises a second layer of conformable, conductive fabric.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the second layer of conformable conductive fabric is separated from the first conformable, conductive fabric by a plurality of supports.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the supports comprise nylon.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the supports are not coated with an anti-microbial metal.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the nylon supports are uniformly coated with silver.

20. The device of claim 8, wherein the substrate comprises woven or knitted fibers or yarns.

21. The device of claim 8, wherein the substrate comprises non-woven fibers or yarns.

22. The device of claim 15, further comprising a third layer adjacent to said second layer, said third layer made of an air-permeable material.

23. The device of claim 15, further comprising a third layer adjacent to said second layer, said third layer made of a water-permeable material.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the device maintains a transepithelial electrical potential of a wound at about −

10 mvolts to about −

70 mvolts.

36. A method for making a multilayer material for use as a wound dressing, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a silver-containing fabric according to claim 1;

and

attaching a moisture-absorbing layer of material to said fabric.

37. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein said fabric contains at least approximately 5 wt. % silver, and wherein said method further comprises the step of attaching a water-impermeable layer to said moisture-absorbing layer.

38. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein said fabric contains at least approximately 5 wt. % silver, further comprising the step of attaching an air-permeable layer to said moisture-absorbing layer, said air-permeable layer carrying an adhesive for attaching said multilayer material to skin.

39. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to reduce a wound potential by about 0.1 mV to about 20 mV.

25. A wound dressing, comprising:

a flexible, fabric substrate comprising anti-microbial metal in an amount effective to provide the substrate with a surface resistance of less than about 1,000 Ω

/cm² and a plurality of apertures effective to provide the substrate with a liquid wicking value of at least about 10%.

26. The wound dressing of claim 25, further comprising a layer of moisture-absorbing material attached to said substrate.

27. The dressing as recited in claim 25, wherein said anti-microbial metal and said substrate have a combined weight, and wherein said quantity of metal is at least approximately 5 wt. % of said combined weight.

28. The dressing as recited in claim 25, wherein said metal and said substrate have a combined weight, and wherein said quantity of metal is at least approximately 20 wt. % of said combined weight.

29. The dressing as recited in claim 25, wherein said metal is silver.

30. The dressing as recited in claim 25, wherein said fabric comprises nylon.

31. The dressing as recited in claim 26, further comprising a third layer adjacent to said second layer, said third layer made of water-impermeable material.

32. The dressing as recited in claim 26, further comprising a third layer adjacent to said second layer, said third layer made of an air-permeable material.

33. The dressing as recited in claim 26, wherein said moisture-absorbing material comprises cotton.

34. The dressing as recited in claim 26, further comprising an adhesive layer attached to at least a portion of said moisture-absorbing said for adhering said dressing to skin.

35. The dressing as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

a third layer adjacent to said second layer, said third layer made of a water-impermeable material; and

an adhesive carried by at least a portion of said third layer, said adhesive positioned so that said adhesive adheres to intact skin when said dressing is placed in contact with a wound.