Patent ID: 8398606

Claim:
A method of collecting biological liquid from a subject, comprising: providing a multiple layer absorbent pad sized for retention in a perineal space of a wearer, the multiple layers of the pad comprising an inner absorbent layer, an outer absorbent layer, and an intermediate layer between the inner and outer absorbent layers, wherein the inner and outer absorbent layers are denser than the intermediate layer, and the pad forms an empty internal cavity within the pad, wherein liquid in the internal cavity is absorbed through the inner absorbent layer into the intermediate layer and liquid external to the device is absorbed through the outer absorbent layer into the intermediate layer; and placing the pad in a perineal space of the wearer so that liquid is absorbed by the pad from the perineal space into the pad, wherein the empty internal cavity is circumscribed in at least one plane by the inner absorbent layer and the intermediate layer circumscribes the inner absorbent layer in a continuous manner.