Patent Publication Number: US-2013245526-A1

Title: Bandage and method of using same

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bandage that can be used to cover a wound. One embodiment of the invention comprises a bandage that can cover an ulceration on the human epidermis being treated with an allograft, and maintain the allograft in place without the use of sutures. 
     The transplantation of tissue, known as allografts, can be used to treat and heal ulcerated tissue on the human epidermis. For example, one allograft, sold under the trademark EPIFIX, comprises an amniotic membrane that facilitates tissue regeneration of ulcerated tissue on the epidermal surface. Typically, the allograft is positioned over the ulcerated tissue and held in place by sutures. A conventional moisture retentive dressing is then positioned over the allograft sutured to the wound to keep out external contaminants, and keep the allograft hydrated. The optimal environment for a healing wound is a moist environment having a temperature close to normal body temperature. The temperature of an open wound is typically lower than the body&#39;s normal temperature as body heat escapes through the wound opening. Reduced wound temperature can result in physiologic effects that impair wound healing. 
     The process of suturing the allograft and applying a moisture retentive dressing typically takes thirty minutes to an hour. With ever increasing demands on the time of health care practitioners and to reduce the costs of health care services, there is a need for an apparatus and method that would reduce the time and cost for treating a wound on the epidermis with an allograft. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a bandage that can be used to cover an allograft positioned on a wound on the epidermis. Another object of the present invention is to provide a bandage that can maintain the allograft in place on the wound without the need for sutures. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bandage that helps retain heat in the wound. 
     These and other objects of the present invention can be achieved in preferred embodiments of the invention described below. One embodiment of the invention comprises a bandage comprising a skin adherent layer having a wound facing surface having an adherent thereon for attaching to epidermal tissue. A compressible support section is supported by the skin adherent layer, and an absorbent section comprised of liquid absorbent material is supported by the compressible support section. The compressible support section is positioned intermediate the skin adherent layer and the absorbent section, and a liquid permeable covering layer is positioned over the absorbent section and functionally connected to the skin adherent layer. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a fluid impermeable layer is positioned intermediate the compressible support section and the absorbent section. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the fluid impermeable layer comprises cellophane. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a second fluid impermeable layer comprised of cellophane is positioned intermediate the skin adherent layer and the compressible support section. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a fluid impermeable layer comprising cellophane encloses the compressible support section, and prevents external fluid from penetrating the support section. The fluid impermeable layer also prevents fluid that is hydrating the absorbent section from escaping from the bandage and leaking onto surrounding areas, such as clothes, bedding and/or furniture. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the compressible support section is comprised of foam, a sponge, and/or a gauze pad. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the absorbent section is comprised of cotton and/or a super absorbent polymer, such as polyacrylic acid. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the absorbent section includes bacteriostatic material. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the adherent comprises an adhesive adapted for adhering to epidermal tissue. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the skin adherent layer comprises a stretchable and liquid permeable material. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the skin adherent layer has a surface opposite the wound facing surface with no adherent thereon. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a bandage for covering a wound treated with an allograft comprises a liquid permeable skin adherent layer having a wound facing surface having an adhesive thereon for adhering to skin proximate the wound. A support section is supported on the skin adherent layer. The support section is comprised of a material that maintains the allograft in place on the wound and prevents the escape of body heat through the wound. An absorbent section is positioned over the support section. The absorbent section is comprised of a liquid absorbent material, and the support section is positioned intermediate the skin adherent layer and the absorbent section. A liquid permeable covering layer is positioned over the absorbent section, and attached to the skin adherent layer. The absorbent section aids in keeping the allograft hydrated. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a fluid impermeable layer encloses the compressible support section. As such, the fluid impermeable layer protects the support section against penetration of external fluid. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the fluid impermeable layer comprises cellophane. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the absorbent section includes bacteriostatic water. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a chamber is positioned intermediate the support section and the absorbent section. The chamber can contain fluid for hydrating the absorbent section, and has at least one opening for allowing the fluid contained in the chamber to flow into the absorbent section. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the fluid contained within the chamber can be bacteriostatic water and/or sterile saline. A removable cover can cover the chamber opening(s) so that removing the cover exposes chamber opening(s) to allow the bacteriostatic water and/or sterile saline in the chamber to flow into the absorbent section. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of covering a wound treated with an allograft includes providing a bandage comprising a liquid permeable skin adherent layer having a wound facing surface having an adhesive thereon adapted for adhering to epidermal tissue, and a compressible support section supported by the skin adherent layer for supporting and maintaining the allograft in place on the wound. A fluid impermeable layer encloses the compressible support section, and an absorbent section is supported by the compressible support section, and is comprised of a liquid absorbent material. The compressible support section is positioned intermediate the skin adherent layer and the absorbent section, and a liquid permeable outer covering layer extends over the absorbent section and the compressible support section and is functionally connected to the skin adherent layer. The outer covering layer is positioned against the allograft, whereby the support section maintains the allograft in place on the wound and gives structural support enabling the absorbent section to reach the full depth of the wound. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the wound facing surface of the skin adherent layer is positioned on skin proximate the wound, so that the bandage is adhered to the skin. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a bandage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the bandage taken along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an environmental perspective view illustrating a method of using the bandage of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is cross sectional environmental view illustrating a method of using the bandage of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of a bandage according to another preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION AND BEST MODE 
     A bandage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and shown generally at reference numeral  10 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bandage  10  comprises a skin adherent layer  11  having an outer surface  11   a , and an inner wound facing surface  11   b  opposite the outer surface  11   a . The skin adherent layer  11  is comprised of a strip of stretchable, liquid permeable material. The wound facing surface  11   b  has an adhesive adapted for adhering to epidermal tissue. The outer surface  11   a  has no adhesive. Alternatively, a peelable cover can be positioned on the wound facing surface  11   b  to cover and keep the adhesive clean until use when the cover can be peeled off to expose the adhesive. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a support section  13  is positioned on a center area of the wound facing surface  11   b  of the skin adherent strip  11 . The support section  13  can be comprised of a material that is compressible yet firm, and acts as a heat shield that can retain heat, such as a memory foam pad. Alternatively, the support section  13  can be comprised of a sponge, gauze pad, or any other suitable material that can provide the appropriate structural support. 
     The support section  13  can be enclosed by a fluid impermeable layer  12  that includes a first section  12   a  positioned between the support section  13  and the skin adherent layer  11 , and a second section  12   b  covering the opposite side of the support section  13 . The fluid impermeable layer  12  can be comprised of cellophane. Alternatively, instead of fully enveloping the support section  13  with a fluid impermeable layer  12 , only a first layer of cellophane  12   a  can be positioned between the support section  13  and the skin adherent strip  11 , and a second layer  12   b  of cellophane can be positioned between the support section  13  and an absorbent section  15 . 
     The absorbent section  15  is positioned on the compressible support section  13 , and comprised of a liquid absorbent material. The absorbent section  15  can be comprised of cotton, a super absorbent polymer, such as polyacrylic acid, and/or any other suitable material capable of retaining sterile liquid. The absorbent section  15  can also include bacteriostatic water contained within the liquid absorbent material. 
     A covering layer  16  has first and second ends attached to the portion of the fluid impermeable layer  12   a  that is attached to the wound facing surface  11   b  of the skin adherent layer  11 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The covering layer  16  extends over the absorbent section  15  and the support section  13 , and keeps the absorbent section  15  and support section  13  in place on the skin adherent strip  11 . The covering layer  16  can be comprised of a liquid permeable material. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a method of using the bandage  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the bandage  10  can be used to cover a wound such as a skin ulceration  50  being treated with an allograft  60 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the outer covering layer  16  is positioned against the allograft  60 , and the wound facing surface  11   b  of the skin adherent strip  11  is adhered to skin  52  proximate the wound  50  and allograft  60 . The liquid permeable covering layer  16  allows for bacteriostatic water or other desired liquid contained in the absorbent section  15  to penetrate and keep the allograft hydrated. The pressure exerted by the compressible support section  13  on the allograft  60  keeps the allograft in place on the wound, eliminating the need for sutures to keep the allograft in place on the wound. In addition, the support section  13  provides structural support that enables the absorbent section  15  to reach the full depth of the wound  50 . Furthermore, the support structure  13  helps prevent the escape of body heat through the wound  50 . As such, the bandage  10  aids in providing a moist environment and a wound temperature close to normal body temperature for optimal wound healing conditions. The bandage  10  can save significant time for the health care practitioner by eliminating the steps of suturing the allograft to the wound, and applying a moisture retentive dressing. 
     A bandage according to an alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , and shown generally at reference numeral  10 ′. The bandage  10 ′ is similar in structure to the previously described embodiment, bandage  10 , except for a fluid filled chamber  14  positioned between the support section  13  and the absorbent section  15 . The chamber  14  can hold sterile saline, bacteriostatic water or other suitable fluid for hydrating the absorbent section  15 . The chamber  14  can include a plurality of openings  44  that are covered by a removable cover strip  24 . A string  34  can be attached to the cover  24 , and exits through an opening  26  in the covering layer  16 . A user can pull the string  34  to remove the cover  24 , thereby exposing the chamber openings  44  to allow the fluid within the chamber  24  to flow into the absorbent section  15  keeping the absorbent section  15  hydrated. The chamber  14  can be a plastic bladder that has relatively little volume when emptied of fluid. The removable cover  24  can be comprised of plastic or other suitable material. The bandage  10 ′ can be otherwise identical in structure to the previously described embodiment, bandage  10 . 
     A bandage and a method of using same are described above. Various changes can be made to the invention without departing from its scope. The above description of the preferred embodiments and best mode of the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation—the invention being defined by the following claims and equivalents thereof.