GB2042341A - Packaged wound dressing for burns - Google Patents

Abstract

A sterile dressing pack for first aid treatment of burns includes a sealed container in which is disposed a non-adherent fabric web saturated with a sterile saline liquid, the whole having been sterilised by radiation. The sealed container may be enclosed in an outer container which also holds a further supply of saline liquid and a dispenser therefore. A burn can be quickly covered with the dressing and kept cool by addition thereto of further liquid.

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaged wound dressing for burns This invention relates to a wound dressing and more particularly but not exclusively a dressing intended to be applied to burns as a first aid dressing as soon as possible after the casualty occurs until the patient can receive treatment at a hospital.

In the treatment of burns it is considered beneficial to lower the temperature of a burn to avert granulation and the adverse effects of tissue changes. One way of cooling a burn is to immerse the wound in cold water. However, water is not always available when a person is burnt, nor is it generally provided in a first aid cabinet. Even so a saline solution is to be preferred to avoid haemolysis. The present invention has been made from a consideration of these points.

According to the invention there is provided a packaged wound dressing comprising a nonwoven fabric web, at least part of the web having a non-adherent wound contact surface and the web being disposed in a sealed container together with a sterile liquid by which the web is wetted, said container having been subjected to radiation to render the contents sterile.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which.

Figure 1 shows a packaged wound dressing in exploded side elevation; and Figure 2 shows the same packaged wound dressing in exploded perspective view.

Referring to the drawing a package comprises a tubular protective outer container having two separable parts 10 and 12. The container may be made of spirally wound fibre-board and may be coated internally with plastic or metal such as aluminium. Disposed in the container are a sealed dressing container 14, a sealed liquid container 16 and a sealed container 18 for an irregation tube.

Prior to use the two parts 10 and 12 of the outer container are held together by a removable sealing tape or strip which extends around the container and covers the junction between the said parts 10 and 12.

The sealed dressing container 14 is preferably of metal and contains a dressing consisting of a web of non-woven or other suitable fabric having a non-adherent wound contact surface. The non-adherent surface can be provided by vacuum deposition of aluminium on the web. The web is saturated in a sterile liquid, for example a saline liquid, and is then compressed, rolled up and sealed into the container 14. Alternatively, the web can be rolled up dry and placed in the container and then saturated with sterile liquid. The sealed container 14 is provided with means whereby it can be opened quickly, for example when the container is of metal a pull ring can be fitted thereto which when pulled opens the container along specially provided lines of weakness. After it has been sealed the container 14 is irradiated to render the contents sterile.When the two parts 10 and 12 are together the sealed container 14 may preferably be located in the top part 10.

The liquid container 16 is preferably a bag of flexible material for example plastics, and contains sterile liquid, preferably the same liquid as is used to saturate the dressing.

The container 18 is a flexible container having a sterile irrigation tube 20 therein. The tube 20 is for insertion into the container 16 so that the sterile liquid can be poured accurately.

In use, the two part container is first opened and the container 14 removed and opened. The dressing is withdrawn from container 14, unrolled and applied to the burn.

The effect of the saturated dressing is to cool the burn and at the same time prevent loss of body fluids such as plasma. Moreover, evaporation of liquid from the web tends to assist in maintaining the cooling effect of the dressing.

By keeping the wound wet and cooled until the patient can be properly treated in a hospital or other aid station, the damage to tissue is minimized. The sterile liquid in the container 18 is provided to enable the dressing to be additionally wetted to maintain the cooling effect. Advantageously liquid from container 18 is poured or "libated" onto the dressing using the sterile tube 20.

By the invention therefore effective first aid can be given to a person who has been burned so that the casualty can be transferred to a hospital. The non-adherent nature of the dressing together with the cooling effect thereof keeps further damage to tissue to the minimum and hence the chances of survival and recovery of the patient. The invention also enables an extensive area of burnt tissue to be covered since the dressing can be made of any size. For example it can be sufficiently large that it can envelop the entire body of the casualty. Since the dressing is already saturated it readily wets clothing adhering to the burn. The dressing can be divided into smaller pieces if desired. The invention provides in one single item all the requirements for first aid treatment of a burn thus eliminating the time wasting selection of a number of different items from a first aid box.

Claims (8)

1. A packaged wound dressing comprising a fabric web, at least a part of the web having a non-adherent wound contact surface and the web being disposed in a sealed container together with a sterile liquid by which the web is wetted, said container having been subjected to radiation to render the contents sterile.

2. A packaged wound dressing as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the sealed container is disposed in an outer container, said outer container also including a liquid container.

3. A packaged wound dressing as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the liquid container contains the same sterile liquid as is present in the sealed container.

4. A packaged wound dressing as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein means for dispensing liquid from the liquid container is also provided in the outer container.

5. A packaged wound dressing as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the fabric web is of non-woven material.

6. A packaged wound dressing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the nonadherent wound contact surface on the web is provided by a coating of aluminium deposited thereon.

7. A packaged wound dressing as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sterile liquid is a saline liquid.

8. A packaged wound dressing substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.