Abstract:
A system for wound management to maintain wound dressing isolation from the caregiver. The system includes a flexible wound pad with exterior separated wound engagement fields and a self-engaging applicator isolation pad retainment placement removal handle element which can be selectively used by the caregiver to manipulate the wound pad on the patient.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/712,992, filed Oct. 12, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to wound care cleaning and removal of dressing applied to the wound. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art wound management dressings; cleaning and removal have been developed to provide a sterile environment for the treatment of wounds. Such devices and systems can be seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,374,520, 4,545,371, 6,436,432 and U.S. Patent Publication 2011/0257574 A1. 
     In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,374,520 and 4,545,371 systems and methods for bandaging a patient are disclosed wherein a large adhesive back bandage is applied having an application handle on oppositely disposed sides thereof. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,432 isolates an absorbent sterile pad dressing from a delivery system having a carrier frame overlapping a heavy absorbent wound pad defining a window from which in the pad is accessible. 
     U.S. Patent Publication 2011/0257574 discloses a device to facilitate the application of plastic film to skin of a patient as a component in a wound dressing sterile application field format. 
     There are also a number of different prior art wound care kits that include a variety of selected supplies to efficiently clean and measure a wound with a sterile solution, multiple gauze pads of specific size and redressing of the wound with wet or dry dressing gauze sequence and overlying large pressure pad that is secured by tape or other well defined methods. 
     Such prior art wound care kits rely on specific caregiver sequence procedures to maintain a sterile wound field which includes gloves, given the direct contact needed to remove, clean, assess and redress the wound by the caregiver. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An integrated sterile wound pad and applicator system for the treatment of open wounds wherein a sterile field must be maintained and proper wound cleaning methodology should be observed. The wound pad has dual oppositely disposed sterile gauze surfaces of varying depths, as required, separated by a non-porous flexible support carrier sheet therebetween. A self-engaging applicator pad engagement and applicator assures that there is no direct contact with the wound pad by the caregiver as it is manipulated on the wound and removed by spiral rotation about the applicator engaging and collecting the pad within itself on the applicator without direct contact by the caregiver. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the wound pad and applicator partially engaged thereon. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the wound pad of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the wound pad illustrating the associated gauze surface field within the support carrier sheet. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the isolation applicator device. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a plurality of wound pads within sterile dispensing packaging for ease of use within the venue. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3  of the drawings, a wound pad system  10  of the invention can be seen having a wound pad  11  with a generally rectangular exterior shape chosen for illustration purposes only. It is noted that other dimensional shapes may be used including, but not limited to square, ovaloid and round dependent on the nature of the wound and criteria to be addressed. 
     The wound pad  11  has a main carrier sheet  12  of a flexible non-porous material of a uniform thickness and density. The carrier sheet  12  has oppositely disposed spaced parallel side edges  13  and  14  and corresponding interlinking respective spaced parallel end edges  15  and  16  therebetween. 
     An upper mounting surface  17  on the carrier sheet  12  has a fixed first usable surface covering  18  formed of multiple layers of inter-joined gauze material  19  defining a sterile absorbent field of a known density acceptable for use in medical environments as is understood within the art. 
     An oppositely disposed lower mounting surface  20  of the flexible carrier sheet  12  has a fixed second usable surface covering  21  also formed of multiple layers of inter-joined gauze material  19  defining a corresponding sterile absorbent field of a known density for use in medical environments, specifically in wound cleaning care and dressing, as best seen in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. It will be noted that the respective gauze coverings  18  and  21  are of different relative dimensional height and are spaced inwardly of the respective perimeter sides  13  and  14  and interengaged end edges  15  and  16  of the hereinbefore described carrier sheet  12  to maintain a supporting field carrier within the confines thereof as seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 4  of the drawings, a wound care applicator  22  can be seen having a handle portion  23  and a pad engagement portion  24 . The handle portion  22  is of an elongated rod-like configuration have a terminal distal end  23 A and may be formed preferably of a non-porous molded material, such as synthetic resin. 
     The pad engagement portion  24  is defined as having an enlarged cylindrical surface  25  of an increased diameter having a pad engagement retainment surface covering such as a plurality of engagement hooks derived from the well known hook and loop engagement and release material known under the brand name Velcro, for example. It will also be noted that a variety of other texturing elements can be applied to the pad engagement portion  24  as a covering for selective engagement and retainment of the gauze surface of the wound pad  11 , as hereinbefore described. 
     It will be evident additionally that as seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, that the applicator  22  is used to selectively engage and hold onto the corresponding effacing gauze surfaces  18  or  19  for manual manipulation of the wound pad  12  over the surface of a wound, not shown, and for removal thereof as will be described in detail hereinafter. 
     In use, by selectively engaging the wound pad  10  with the application  22 , pad engagement portion  24  the “hook” enabled surface  25  thereof will interlock with the gauze covering  18 , as shown. By rotation of the integral handle portion  23 , the wound pad  11  can be rolled up thereon thereby isolating the opposing contaminated gauze surface  21 , in this example, within the coiling action of the upper first gauze surface  18  assuring complete isolation of the wound pad surface from contact with the caregiver (not shown) who is manipulating the applicator&#39;s extended handle portion  22 , as hereinbefore described. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  of the drawings, a storage dispensing wound pad arrangement packaging is illustrated which shows an example of how a plurality of such wound pads  11  of the invention could be, but not required to be stored and dispensed. 
     In this illustration, a roll  26  of individual sealed wound pads  11  is formed by a continuous strip of packaged pods, having a sterile maintaining paper release cover  27  so that individual wound pads  11  can be sequentially separated at the perforation line  28  in the packaging between each of pads  11 . The perforation tear line  28  would extend through the sterile packaging covering  27  and correspondingly separate the carrier sheet  12  so that a selected wound pad could be easily removed for use as illustrated graphically by the separation of the sterile cover sheet  27  affording access and usability to the dual surface wound pad  11  of the invention. 
     It will thus be seen that a new and novel dual sided wound pad  11  of the invention and its associated applicator engagement manipulator and removal device has been illustrated and disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.