Composite Dressing

• US 3,903,882 A
• Filed: 04/19/1974
• Issued: 09/09/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas Anthony Augurt
• Original Assignee: Thomas Anthony Augurt
• Inventors: Augurt, Thomas Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/462,490
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 128/149,153-157,268,165
• US Class Current: 602/43
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01038 Flexibility, stretchability or elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01046 Air-vapor permeability
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/551 Packaging before or after use general packaging of absorbent pads B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/001 Packages or dispensers for bandages, cotton balls, drapes, dressings, gauze, gowns, sheets, sponges, swabsticks or towels A61F15/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00157 for burns or skin transplants A61F2013/00187 takes precedence; not adhering to the wound A61F2013/00217
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00221 biodegradable, non-irritating
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00238 characterised by way of knitting or weaving
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00263 vapour permeability >500 g/m2/24h
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00519 for treating burn
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00561 with adhesive connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00727 means for wound humidity control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00876 vapour permeability >500 g/mg/24h
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/0091 with disinfecting or anaesthetics means, e.g. anti-mycrobic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51411 being impervious to fluids but not for air or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530992 in the form of string or ball instead of sheets
• 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: C08L 67/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/08 Collagen

Abstract

A flexible, tissue surface conformable, water vapor permeable, composite dressing for wounds, particularly major burns, is formed from a knitted fabric of a tissue absorbable polymer, such as polyglycolic acid, having on the non-tissue contacting surface a water vapor permeable elastomeric film, such as polyurethane, silicone, poly(caprolactone) and natural rubber, which excludes microorganisms and dirt, while controlling water vapor permeation to approximately that of the intact human skin. The dressing is tissue surface conformable, minimizes pooling of liquids between the dressing and the wound, minimizes infections, is readily removable to permit a change of dressing, and permits granulation tissue to form under the dressing and subsequent autografting. If any of the tissue absorbable material is trapped within the wound, it is absorbed with no deleterious effects.

Claims

1. A WOUNDING DRESSING FOR THE SURFACE OF LIVING TISSUE FROM WHICH AT LEAST PART OF THE SKIN HAS BEEN REMOVED AND WHICH TISSUE IS SUBJECT TO MOISTURE LOSS, AND BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION, WHICH DRESSING IS SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE THAT IT WILL CONFORM AND ADAPT TO THE SURFACE OF THE TISSUE TO MINIMIZE POOLS OF FLUID OR AIR BETWEEN THE DRESSING AND THE TISSUE SURFACE, WHICH POOLS GENERATE PROBLEMS OF INFECTIONS, AND WHICH HAS A PERMEABILITY TO MOISTURE OF THE ORDER OF THAT OF THE INTACT HUMAN SKIN (APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MG/SQ. CM./HR.), WHICH COMPRISES:

AN ELASTOMERIC LAYER OF THE ORDER OF 0.1 TO 5 MILS THICK, AND WHICH ELASTOMERIC LAYER HAS BONDED THERETO A FABRIC KNITTED OF CONTINOUS FIBERS OF THE ORDER OF 1/2 TO 12 DENIER OF A TISSUE COMPATIBLE MATERIAL WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY ABSORBED BY LIVING TISSUE

2. The wound dressing of claim 1 in which the tissue compatible material is a polymer subject to hydrolytic degradation to non-toxic, tissue compatible absorbable components, said polymer having glycolic acid ester linkages.

3. The wound dressing of claim 2 in which the tissue compatible material is homopolymeric polyglycolic acid.

4. The wound dressing of claim 2 in which the tissue compatible material is a polymer of 3-methyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione.

5. The wound dressing of claim 1 in which the tissue compatible material is a polymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine.

6. An interiorly sterile strippable package having therein in sterile condition a wound dressing for the surface of living tissue from which at least part of the skin has been removed and which tissue is subject to moisture loss, and bacterial contamination, which dressing is sufficiently flexible that it will conform and adapt to the surface of the tissue to minimize pools of fluid or air between the dressing and the tissue surface, which pools generate problems of infection, and which has a permeability to moisture of the order of that of the intact human skin (approximately 2.2 mg/sq. cm./hr), which comprises:

an elastomeric layer of the order of 0.1 to 5 mils thick, and which elastomeric layer has bonded thereto a fabric knitted of continuous fibers of the order of 1/2 to 12 denier of a tissue compatible material which is substantially absorbed by living tissue within about 90 days, and which fibers maintain their integrity for at least about 10 days, and which knitted fabric has a tissue contacting surface free from upstanding loops, and which has interstitial spaced into which granulating tissues can grow, but which readily releases granulating tissue 4 to 10 days after emplacement.

7. A method of protecting the surface of living tissue during a healing process which comprises:

during a preliminary period, covering and protecting the surface of damaged tissue by emplacing thereon a wound dressing for the surface of living tissue from which at least part of the skin has been removed and which tissue is subject to moisture loss, and bacterial contamination, which dressing is sufficiently flexible that it will conform and adapt to the surface of the tissue to minimize pools of fluid or air between the dressing and the tissue surface, which pools generate problems of infection, and which has a permeability to moisture of the order of that of the intact human skin (approximately 2.2 mg/sq. cm./hr.), which comprises;

an elastomeric layer of the order of 0.1 to 5 mils thick, and which elastomeric layer has bonded thereto a fabric knitted of continuous fibers of the order of 1/2 to 12 denier of a tissue compatible material which is substantially absorbed by living tissue within about 90 days, and which fibers maintain their integrity for at least about 10 days, and which knitted fabric has a tissue contacting surface free from upstanding loops, and which has interstitial spaces into which granulating tissue can grow, but which readily releases granulating tissue 4 to 10 days after emplacement, peRmitting granulation tissue to grow thereunder to give a clean wound closed by said dressing, stripping off said dressing, to expose granulation tissue, then autografting living skin to said exposed granulation tissue.

8. The process of claim 7 in which the tissue compatible material is homopolymeric polyglycolic acid.