A method of manufacturing a therapeutic material incorporating a soft thermoformable elastomer with a phase change material exhibiting high latent heat of fusion. The compound provides elasticity, softness, formability, and heat over an extended duration and to facilitate prolonged skin contact at elevated temperatures. Used in combination with active ingredients the increased temperature and formability provides enhanced transdermal delivery through the skin. Thermoplastic elastomers may be manufactured by mixing together plasticizing oil, a triblock copolymer, a paraffinic substance and one or more additives, e.g., an antioxidant, an antimicrobial agent, and/or other additives to form a mixture which melted then cooled into the thermoplastic elastomer. During cooling, the thermoplastic elastomer may be molded or otherwise formed into any number of articles including, but not limited to, prosthetic liners, prosthetic sleeves, external breast prostheses, breast enhancement bladders, masks, wound dressing sheets, wound dressing pads, socks, gloves, malleolus pads, metatarsal pads, shoe insoles, urinary catheters, vascular catheters, and balloons for medical catheters both vascular as well as urinary. Active ingredients are preferably added to the cooling thermoplastic elastomer when the temperature is below 100° F. to prevent heat degradation and/or breakdown of vital proteins.

A wound dressing is selectively configurable for use in a pressure gradient wound therapy system and for use without a pressure gradient wound therapy system. The wound dressing can include a covering layer, an aperture and a microbial barrier. The microbial barrier can be arranged to cover the aperture.

A wound dressing is selectively configurable for use in a pressure gradient wound therapy system and for use without a pressure gradient wound therapy system. The wound dressing can include a pressure distribution layer and a covering layer. The covering layer includes an indicia, the indicia denoting the optimal position in the covering layer to create an aperture to provide fluid communication between the pressure distribution layer and a source of non-atmospheric pressure.

A wound dressing for use in the application of negative pressure to a wound, comprising a support member and a cover member positionable over the wound in use. The support member can have a first support element having a first portion aligned with a first axis and a body portion coupled with and extending away from the first portion, and a second support element having a first portion aligned with the first axis and a body portion coupled with and extending away from the first portion of the second support element. At least the body portion of each of the first support element and the second support element can be independently rotatable about the first axis. The support member can support at least a middle portion of the cover member above a surface of the wound so as to define a space between the wound cover and the wound.

The subject invention provides materials methods for reducing infections in subjects. The materials methods utilize chlorhexidine, which has been found to be surprisingly non-toxic. The lack of toxicity facilitates the use of chlorhexidine in contexts that were not previously thought to be possible.

A protective dressing includes an outer dressing and an adhesive layer. The outer dressing includes an opening and a cavity sized to receive a phase-change material (PCM) insert inserted through the opening. The adhesive layer is configured to adhere to a patient's skin surrounding an anatomic site. When adhered to the patient's skin, the PCM insert modifies the patient's skin at the anatomic site. The PCM insert may be removed and replaced with another PCM insert. For example, a warm PCM insert may be replaced with a refrigerated PCM insert. The opening of the outer dressing may be self-sealing. The opening of the outer dressing may be sealed with an upper layer dressing coupled to the PCM cooling insert.

A multi-layered wound dressing including a fibrous absorbent layer for absorbing exudate from a wound site. The wound dressing also includes a support layer configured to reduce shrinkage of at least a portion of the wound dressing.

Disclosed are materials comprising a fiber material and an agent having at least one having improved tensile strength, in particular wet tensile strength, vis-à-vis fiber materials known from the art. While these fiber materials may be of use in various fields, in particular household products, hygiene products and the like, these fiber materials are of particular use in wound treatment. Also disclosed is a method for producing these materials.

A method for manufacturing a wound dressing having a substrate, and a wound dressing manufactured by such a method are described. The method has a step of providing a sacrificial layer of material to be perforated by means of a hot pin perforator, in order to remove any molten residues on the heated pins of the hot pin perforator, before the same pins are used to make holes in the substrate. The presented method is cost effective, robust and reduces the risk of contaminating substances being embedded in the substrate during the hole making process.

The wound therapy apparatus may include a wound interface sealingly securable to the skin surface around a wound bed to encloses the wound bed within an enclosed space that is fluid-tight. The wound interface may be sufficiently deformation resistant to distend at least a portion of the wound bed into the enclosed space when pressure p.sub.0 within the enclosed space is less than ambient pressure p.sub.amb. Fluid may be communicated with the enclosed space when the wound interface is sealingly secured to the skin surface in order to vary a pressure p.sub.0 within the enclosed space periodically over the pressure range p.sub.min≤p.sub.0≤p.sub.max. The variation of the pressure p.sub.0 may distend the wound bed into communication with a pad received within the enclosed space and decreases the wound bed contact with the pad. Related methods of use of the wound therapy apparatus are also disclosed.