GB2350280A

GB2350280A - Wound dressing support with pockets for absorbent pads

Info

Publication number: GB2350280A
Application number: GB9912317A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul William Watt
Original assignee: Johnson and Johnson Medical Ltd
Current assignee: Johnson and Johnson Medical Ltd
Priority date: 1999-05-26
Filing date: 1999-05-26
Publication date: 2000-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-26
Also published as: GB2350280B; GB9912317D0

Abstract

Wound dressing support 20, adapted to encircle a part of the human body, comprising a plurality of liquid-permeable pockets 28 on an inner surface 26 thereof for retaining one or more absorbent wound dressing pads 29 removably inserted into one or more of the pockets. The support may comprise a waist band portion 21 and a crotch portion 22 or may be adapted to encircle a shoulder.

Description

2350280 The present invention relates to wound dressing supports, and also

to wound dressings and wound dressing systems comprising such supports.

Certain wounds such as sacral ulcers can be difficult to dress with a conventional wound dressing. For example, with bedridden patients, a conventional adhesive dressing applied to a sacral ulcer can become detached, and can cause discomfort. Therefore, a need exists for a flexible, inexpensive and comfortable wound dressing that is easy to change, comfortable to wear and that can be applied to difficult-to-dress wounds, such as sacral ulcers.

W098/08472 describes a cushion pad for preventing the formation of sacral decubitus ulcers. A decubitis preventive supporter is securely fixed in use to the lumbar buttocks at three points like a diaper cover. This arrangement prevents the cushion pad from getting out of position when a patient wearing the cushion moves in sleep, so that it is possible to completely protect the region where the decubitis is liable to occur.

W094/15563 describes a diaper comprising an envelope of washable textile material having a single, large pocket extending around the crotch of the diaper to receive an absorbent pad. After use, the absorbent pad is disposable and the envelope is washable and reusable. A similar absorbent diaper incorporating a single, large disposable absorbent pad is described in EP- A-0549988. The main purpose of such systems is to avoid overloading sewage systems by providing a separate absorbent pad that can be flushed separately. The references do not address wound dressing supports, and the problem of disposal by flushing into a sewage system does not normally arise in connection with wound dressings. Nor do these references address the provision of localised absorbency or cushioning at one or more positions under a support, for example to treat localised ulceration.

US-A-5456660 describes a wound dressing support device for holding a variety of standard gauze pads in place on top of an open wound. The device includes an elongated unidirectional wrap with a window opening therethrough. Around the sides of the window is a non-adhesive fastener for releasably engaging a portion of the sides of the gauze pad.

2 When the dressing is released, the used gauze pad can quickly be removed from the wound bed and replaced with a fresh gauze pad.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wound dressing support that is suitable 5 for dressing difficult to dress wounds.

It is a farther object of the present invention to provide such a wound dressing support that it highly adaptable and inexpensive.

It is a finther object of the present invention to provide a wound dressing for difficult to dress wounds comprising a wound dressing support according to the invention.

I It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wound dressing system comprising a wound dressing support according to the invention and a plurality of absorbent wound dressing pads that may be removably inserted into the wound dressing support at difference locations for dressing wounds in a number of different locations.

The present invention provides a wound dressing support adapted to encircle a part of the human body, wherein the support comprises a plurality of liquid-permeable pockets on an inner surface thereof for retaining one or more absorbent wound dressing pads removably inserted into one or more of the pockets.

The wound dressing support is a conformable article that is adapted to be secured around a part of the human body. Preferably, the support incorporates securing means such as adhesive tabs, hooks, buckles or thistle cloth for securing the support around a part of the body. Preferably, the support comprises a belt portion for securing the support around a human waist, thigh, leg, arm or torso. The support may also comprise a crotch portion. In other preferred embodiments the support is adapted to encircle a shoulder, for example the support may have the shape and configuration of the hip or shoulder supports described in US-A-5425702, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

Preferably, the wound dressing support comprises at least one substantially liquidimpermeable outer layer to prevent wound fluids leaking out of the wound dressing 3 support. Preferably, the outer layer is impermeable to microorganisms. Preferably, the outer layer is not machine washable. The outer layer may, for example, comprise a polymer film such as a polyolefm film. More preferably, the wound dressing support comprises a substantially liquid- impermeable outer layer, a liquid-absorbent intermediate layer, and liquid-permeable inner layer. The intermediate layer, which may for example be formed from a non-woven web of hydrophilic fibres such as viscose staple fibres, and may optionally include a super absorbent, provides backup absorbency to the wound dressing. It also provides additional cushioning for the wound.

The liquid permeable inner layer may for example comprise any of the liquid permeable inner layers conventionally used for wound dressings, sanitary pads and the like. Preferred liquid permeable inner layers include perforated thermoplastic films or spunbonded webs of thermoplastic filaments.

The support comprises a plurality of liquid-permeable pockets on a inner surface thereof for retaining one or more absorbent wound dressing pads removably inserted therein. The plurality of pockets are laterally spaced apart on the inner surface of the support. The liquid-permeable pockets may, for example, be formed by stitching, gluing or heat-bonding patch pockets of liquid-permeable sheet material onto an inner layer of the wound dressing support. Preferably, a continuous liquid permeable top sheet is superimposed on an inner layer of the wound dressing support and bonded thereto by regions or lines of bonding (e.g., by stitching, adhesive such as hot-melt adhesive, needling, entanglement, or heat-bonding) between the top sheet and the inner layer of the support. This bonding may be carried out separately from the rest of the support, with the top sheet and inner layer subsequently being laminated to ftirther layers to form the support.

The pockets are provided with a slit or other opening to enable absorbent pads to be inserted and removed form the pockets, for example by using forceps or tweezers. Thus, for example, an absorbent pad can be removed from the pocket and replaced when it becomes saturated with wound fluid.

Preferably, the wound dressing support comprises at least three of the pockets, and more preferably at least five of the pockets. Preferably, at least two of the pockets are of 4 different dimensions. Preferably, the pockets have an area in the range of from I CM2 to 100cm 2 and more preferably from 5cm 2 to 50cm2.

Preferably, a plurality of the pockets are located contiguously on the inner surface of the wound dressing support. More preferably, three or more of the pockets are located contiguously in a tiling or tessellation pattern on the inner surface of the wound dressing support.

The present invention also provides a wound dressing comprising a wound dressing support according to the present invention and one more absorbent wound dressing pads removably inserted into one or more of the pockets in the wound dressing support.

Preferably, the wound dressing comprises only one of the absorbent wound dressing pads. Preferably, the absorbent pads comprise a hydrophilic polyurethane foam such as the foam 2 described in EP-A-0541391, preferably having a basis weight of 150-1500 g/m. In other preferred embodiments the absorbent pads comprise non-woven viscose fabric having a basis weight of 50-500ghn2. Other suitable pad materials include hydrocolloids, collagen sponges, alginate sponges and pads, and mixtures thereof. The absorbent pads may be medicated. The size of the absorbent pads is slightly less than the size of the pockets into which they are to be fitted, in order to allow for expansion when exudate is absorbed by the pads.

It is an advantage of the present invention that the thickness of the absorbent pad can be selected according to the rate of wound exudate formation without having to change the wound dressing support.

The provision of wound dressing pads in one or more of a multiplicity of spaced-apart pockets in the support provides a number of advantages. Firstly, the absorbent wound dressing pads can be inserted selectively into only those pockets that will contact a wound surface when the wound dressing support is fitted to the patient. Thus, a single wound dressing support is adaptable to dress wounds in a number of different locations under the support, without the need for a very large absorbent wound dressing pad. This reduces the cost of dressing the wound, makes the wound dressing support more conformable, and also prevents the spread of excess exudate to areas of healthy skin that could cause maceration. Furthermore, the absorbent pads can be removed and replaced without replacement of the whole wound dressing, thereby reducing the cost of prolonged wound treatment.

The present invention fin-ther provides a wound dressing system comprising a wound dressing support according to the invention and a plurality of liquid absorbent wound dressing pads for insertion into the pockets of the support. Preferably, the plurality of wound dressing pads comprises at least two pads having either different areas or different serum liquid absorbencies per unit area in the uncompressed state at 250C.

The present invention further provides a lining for a wound dressing comprising a back sheet and a liquid-permeable front sheet, wherein the front sheet is bonded to the back sheet over part of the surfaces thereof, thereby defining a plurality of pockets between the front and back sheets into which absorbent pads can removably be inserted. Such linings can be "retrofitted" to conventional wound dressings or supports to convert them into wound dressings according to the present invention.

Preferably, the back sheet is also liquid-permeable. Preferablythe front sheet and the back sheet are formed from a perforated thennoplastic film such as a mesh-perforated ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) film or a nonwoven fibrous web, such as a spunbonded nylon web.

Preferably, the front sheet is bonded to the back sheet along lines of bonding to define a plurality of contiguous pockets between the front and back sheets. Also preferably, slits are formed in the front sheet to enable said removable insertion of absorbable pads into the pockets.

A particular embodiment of the present invention will now be described finther by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of an inner surface of a first embodiment of the wound dressing according to the present invention; 6 Figure 2 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-section through the wound dressing of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of an inner surface of a second embodiment of a wound 5 dressing according to the present invention; and Figure 4 shown a partial rear view of a patient having the dressing of Fig.3 applied to a sacral region.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the wound dressing comprises a wound dressing support 1 and three absorbent wound dressing pads 2 inserted into pockets on an inner surface of the support. The wound dressing support 1 comprises a crotch portion 3 and front and back waist band portions 4,5. The front waist band portion 4 is provided with fastening tabs 6 for securing the waist portions around the waist of a wearer. The crotch portion 3 comprises a liquid-impermeable polymeric back sheet 7), a layer of conventional diaper absorbent 8, and a liquid-permeable inner sheet 9.

The pockets 10 are formed in the inside of the wound dressing support as follows. First, two sheets 11,12 of mesh-perforated ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA) film, having a basis weight Of 50g/M2 and 25 perforations per CM2 of film (the area of each perforation being lmm2), are superimposed. Intersecting heat seals 13 are then formed between the two EMA film sheets to define the contiguous, tiled or tessellated rectangular pockets 10 of dimensions approximately 4cm x 3cm. The bonded EMA sheets 11,12 together form a lining in accordance with the present invention. This lining is then attached to the inside of the diaper wound dressing support by means of hot-melt adhesive.

In an alternative specific embodiment, the pockets are formed by heat bonding together two sheets of a liquid-permeable spunbonded nylon web.

Slits 14 are cut in the top sheet along one side of each pocket 10 to enable insertion and removal and replacement of absorbent pads in the pocket.

7 The absorbent wound dressing pads 2 are formed from a hydrophilic opencell polyurethane foam prepared as described in EP-A-0541391 and have a basis weight of approximately 350g/m2. Thicker pads can be used for wounds that are heavily exuding or require extra cushioning.

In use, the absorbent wound dressing pads are inserted selectively into only those pockets that will contact a wound surface. This not only economises on absorbent wound dressing pad material, but also allows the dressing to be more conformable than would be the case if the layer of wound dressing pad was continuous. The absorbent wound dressing pads are removable and replaceable, thereby extending the useflilness of the wound dressing. The dressing can be used to dress localised wounds and ulcers throughout the waist, lumbar and sacral regions by suitable selection of pockets. It is thus highly adaptable without departing from the basic design.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the illustrated embodiment is especially adapted for dressing sacral ulcers. The support 20 comprises a waist portion 21 and a crotch portion 22, with fasteners 23,24,25 of thistle cloth for securing the support in diaper fashion onto a patient 27 as shown in Fig. 4. A generally T-shaped fining 26 comprising a plurality of liquidpermeable pockets 28 is attached to the inner surface of the support in ht sacral region. A plurality of absorbent pads 29 are removably inserted in one or more of the pockets 28. The construction and materials of this lining 26 are as described above in relation to Figs. 1 and 2.

The above embodiments, have been described by way of example only. Many other embodiments falling within the scope of the accompanying claims will be apparent to the skilled reader.

8

Claims

1. A wound dressing support adapted to encircle a part of the human body, wherein the support comprises a plurality of liquid permeable pockets on an inner surface thereof for retaining one or more absorbent wound dressing pads removably inserted in one or more of the pockets.

2. A wound dressing support according to claim 1, wherein the support is adapted to encircle the waist of a human patient.

3. A wound dressing support according to claim 2, wherein the support comprises a waist band portion and a crotch portion.

4. A wound dressing support according to claim 1, wherein the support is adapted to 15 encircle a shoulder.

5. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim, wherein the support comprises a substantially liquid-impermeable outer layer, a liquid-absorbent intermediate layer, and a liquid-permeable inner layer.

6. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim, wherein the liquidpermeable pockets are delimited by regions of bonding between a liquid-permeable top sheet and an inner sheet of the support.

7. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim, wherein the liquidpermeable pockets are provided with slits for insertion, removal and replacement of absobent pads in said pockets.

8. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim comprising at least 30 three of said pockets.

9. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim comprising at least five of said pockets.

9

10. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim, wherein at least two of said pockets are of different dimensions.

11. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim, wherein said pockets have an area in the range of from 1CM 2 to I 0OCIII 2.

12. A wound dressing support according to Claim 11, wherein said pockets have an area in the range of from 5cm2 to 50cm2.

13. A wound dressing support according to any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of said pockets are located contiguously on said inner surface.

14. A wound dressing comprising a wound dressing support according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and one or more absorbent wound dressing pads removably inserted into one 15 or more of said pockets.

15. A wound dressing according to claim 14, wherein said dressing comprises only one said absorbent pad.

16. A wound dressing according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said absorbent pads comprise a hydrophilic polyurethane foam.

17. A wound dressing system comprising a wound dressing support according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and a plurality of liquid absorbent wound dressing pads for insertion into said pockets.

18. A wound dressing system according to claim 17, wherein said absorbent pads comprise a hydrophilic polyurethane foam pad.

19. A wound dressing system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein said absorbent pads comprise two or more pads having different liquid absorbencies.

20. A wound dressing system according to claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein said absorbent pads comprise two or more pads having different chemical compositions.

21. A lining for a wound dressing comprising a back sheet and a liquidpermeable front sheet, wherein the front sheet is bonded to the back sheet over part of the surfaces thereof, thereby defining a plurality of pockets between the front and back sheets into which absorbent pads can removably be inserted.

22. A lining according to claim 2 1, wherein the back sheet is also liquid-permeable. 10

23. A lining according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the front sheet is bonded to the back sheet along lines of bonding to define a plurality of contiguous pockets between the front and back sheets.

24. A lining according to claim 21, 22 or 23, wherein slits are formed in the front sheet to enable said removable insertion of absorbable pads into the pockets.

25. A lining according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the front sheet and the back sheet are formed from a perforated thermoplastic film or a nonwoven fibrous web.

26. A wound dressing support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

27. A wound dressing substantially as hereiribefore described with reference to the 25 drawings.