Hydrophobic non-adherent wound dressing

Abstract

Abstract A resilient, substantially flat, non-adherent flexible wound dressing which remains flexible when dry, of hydrophobic material capable of retaining substantial quantities of fluid wound exudate. One or both major surfaces may be non-adherent woundcontacting surfaces which may include fenestrated film or interrupted exposed portions of flattened sheetlike fused fibers having a filmlike appearance, or both. The interior of hydrophobic fibers is arranged to retain fluid wound exudate by capillary action. If superimposed fenestrated film is used, it may be united to the hydrophobic fibers either at or inside the dressing edges, or both, preferably by melt sealing. Dressings may be prepared by pressing (with substantially no relative movement) the hydrophobic fibrous material, preferably a carded or air laid batt together with any fenestrated film between closely adjacent parallel uni-directionally moving surfaces of a foam and a stainless steel belt which is heated and then cooled. In the absence of a covering fenestrated film, the surface fibers of the batt, pressed against the heated belt, are softened, flattened, fused and subsequently congealed in contact with the polished belt, thereby forming sheetlike interrupted surface areas of filmlike appearance. When a fenestrated film is added to the dressing, it passes in contact with the stainless belt and may be melt sealed in passage to the fibrous batt with sheetlike interrupted areas of fused fibers being formed, or not formed depending upon the temperature the fibers reach, through the holes in the fenestrated film. A melt edge version of the dressing with soft edges may be made with a cooled perimeter clamp adjacent which a hot perimeter knife cuts and seals the dressing edge.

Inventors

• 👤 Robert J Mack
• 👤 John L Fischer

Bibliographic Details