Multilayer conductive appliance having wound healing and analgesic properties

• US 7,291,762 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Argentum Medical LLC
• Original Assignee: Argentum International LLC
• Inventors: Flick, A. Bart
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco; Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, KIANDRA CHARLE
• Application Number:
  US10/660,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 602 41- 59, 604304-308, 424443-449, 128/888, 128/889
• US Class Current: 602/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01008 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/06 specially adapted for feet or legs; Corn-pads; Corn-rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/069 Decubitus ulcer bandages
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/104 for the hands or fingers A61F13/107 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 2013/0034 with triboelectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00412 for use with needles, tubes or catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00519 for treating burn
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00536 for draining or irrigating wounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00919 for physical therapy, e.g. cold or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00923 triboelectricity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00936 metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24041 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation, or bond
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24993 Fiber is precoated

Abstract

A dressing for promoting healing and pain relief of the body of a living organism having a pathologic condition has at least one layer of conductive material having a resistance no greater than 1000 Ω/cm². When placed proximate a portion of the body of the living organism suffering from the pathologic condition, the dressing alters the electrodynamic processes occurring in conjunction with said pathologic condition to promote healing and pain relief in the living organism. When used as a wound dressing, the conductive material is placed in contact with tissue around the periphery of the wound and with the wound, lowering the electrical potential and resistance of the wound and increasing the wound current. In an exemplary embodiment, the conductive material is a multi-ply nylon fabric plated with silver by an autocatalytic electroless plating process and with the plies in electrical continuity. The dressing provides an antimicrobial and analgesic effect. The dressing may be provided for numerous applications and may include other layers such as an absorbent layer, a semi-permeable layer and additional layer of conductor material. Multilaminate embodiments of the present invention exhibit conductive material concentration gradients and, potentially, a capacitive effect when sequential conductor layers are insulated by intervening layers.

Claims

1. A method for promoting healing of a pathology comprising:

passively modulating the pathology'"'"'s electrical potential to about −

10 to about −

70 mV by conductively bridging healthy tissue surrounding the pathology, wherein the alternation in the pathology'"'"'s electrical potential promotes healing of the pathology.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pathology'"'"'s electrical potential is lowered.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the healthy tissue surrounding the pathology is conductively bridged by applying a conductive substrate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the conductive substrate comprises a metalized fiber.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the conductive substrate further comprises a nonmetalized fiber.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the metalized fiber comprises a conductive metal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the conductive metal is silver.