Collapsible dressing for negative pressure wound treatment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11344665-B2
Application number	US-201916265738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2019
Priority date	Jan 21, 2014
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to negative pressure treatment systems and wound dressing systems, apparatuses, and methods that may be used for the treatment of wounds. In particular, some embodiments are directed to improved wound dressings comprising an obscuring layer that may hide fluid contained therein and a stabilizing structure that may aid in wound closure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A negative pressure wound treatment apparatus, comprising:
a wound dressing comprising a backing layer and a stabilizing structure positioned below the backing layer, the stabilizing structure comprising a plurality of cells and configured for placement over intact skin surrounding the wound;
a port for communicating negative pressure to the wound dressing;
an absorbent layer positioned between the stabilizing structure and the backing layer, the absorbent layer comprising a plurality of through holes, each through hole extending linearly from a top to a bottom of the absorbent layer and aligned with a corresponding cell, the through holes configured such that the absorbent layer collapses horizontally to a greater extent compared to an absorbent layer without through holes;
a wound contact layer positioned beneath the stabilizing structure, the stabilizing structure positioned between the wound contact layer and the backing layer; and
wherein the stabilizing structure is configured to be placed over an area of intact body surface adjacent the wound at least partially enclosing the wound area and collapse significantly more within a horizontal plane than within a vertical plane to apply a horizontal closing force through the wound contact layer over the intact skin surrounding the wound in the direction of a center of the wound when the wound dressing is placed under negative pressure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing structure comprises a first row of intervening members configured to rotate in a first direction and a second row of intervening members configured to rotate in a second direction, the first direction opposite the second direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing structure comprises:
a plurality of elongate strips;
a plurality of intervening members connecting the elongate strips, wherein the plurality of intervening members are configured to pivot relative to the strips to allow the plurality of elongate strips to collapse relative to one another;
wherein the intervening members between a first strip and a second strip are configured to pivot independently of the intervening members between a second strip and a third strip; and
wherein the plurality of elongate strips and the plurality of intervening members connecting the elongate strips form a plurality of cells defined by one or more walls.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the intervening members are connected to the elongate strips via at least one joint.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the joint is a hinge.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the hinges are configured to collapse in one direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the joints are configured to restrict the movement of the intervening members.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the elongate strips are rigid.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing structure is in the shape of an oval.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wound dressing further comprises an acquisition distribution layer between the stabilizing structure and the backing layer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive configured to attach the wound dressing to the skin surrounding the wound.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wound dressing is configured to relieve stress applied to sutures applied to the wound.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the backing layer is transparent or translucent.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing structure is less than 20% as thick as it is wide or long.

15. A method of treating a wound with the apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
placing the wound dressing over the wound with the stabilizing structure positioned over the skin surrounding the wound;
applying negative pressure to the wound through the port; and
wherein the stabilizing structure applies a horizontal force to the skin surrounding the wound when placed under negative pressure.

16. A negative pressure wound treatment apparatus, comprising:
a wound dressing comprising a backing layer and a stabilizing structure positioned below the backing layer, the stabilizing structure comprising a plurality of cells and configured for placement over intact skin surrounding the wound;
a port for communicating negative pressure to the wound dressing;
an absorbent layer positioned between the stabilizing structure and the backing layer, the absorbent layer comprising a plurality of through holes, each through hole extending linearly from a top to a bottom of the absorbent layer, the through holes configured such that the absorbent layer collapses horizontally to a greater extent compared to an absorbent layer without through holes;
a wound contact layer positioned beneath the stabilizing structure, the stabilizing structure positioned between the wound contact layer and the backing layer;
an acquisition distribution layer, the acquisition distribution layer comprising a plurality of through holes, each through hole extending linearly from a top to a bottom of the acquisition distribution layer and aligned with a corresponding cell; and
wherein the stabilizing structure is configured to be placed over an area of intact body surface adjacent the wound at least partially enclosing the wound area and collapse significantly more within a horizontal plane than within a vertical plane to apply a horizontal closing force through the wound contact layer over the intact skin surrounding the wound in the direction of a center of the wound when the wound dressing is placed under negative pressure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the through holes in the acquisition distribution layer are aligned with the through holes in the absorbent layer.

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew

Inventors

• Hartwell Edward Yerbury
• Brownhill Varuni Rachindra
• Gowans John

Classifications

• A61M1/90 Primary

  Negative pressure wound therapy devices, i.e. devices for applying suction to a wound to promote healing, e.g. including a vacuum dressing · CPC title

• A61M1/91

  Suction aspects of the dressing · CPC title

• A61F13/0206 Primary

  with absorbent fibrous layers, e.g. woven or non-woven absorbent pads or island dressings · CPC title

• A61F13/00059

  provided with visual effects, e.g. printed or colored · CPC title

• B32B3/12

  characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure · CPC title