Methods for treating a wound include positioning a wound filler having a coating agent containing a fluorescent material proximate the wound. The wound filler is removed after a time period. The wound is then scanned using a fluorescence scanner to determine whether a portion of the wound filler remains at the wound. In response to the portion of the wound filler remaining at the wound, the portion of the wound filler is removed. Other methods and systems are presented.

This application discloses a wound dressing comprising an absorbent layer and a moisture indicator which indicates wound exudate loading within the dressing, wherein the visibility of the moisture indicator changes as a result of a physical transformation of a first material with the dressing.

A system for treating a linear wound on a patient has a closing dressing bolster for placing on the patient's epidermis over the linear wound, a sealing subsystem for providing a seal over the closing dressing bolster and the patient, and a reduced-pressure subsystem for delivering reduced pressure to the sealing subsystem. The sealing subsystem and reduced pressure subsystem are operable to deliver reduced pressure to the closing dressing bolster. The closing dressing bolster is operable under reduced pressure to develop a inward closing. The closing dressing bolster may include one or more closing members on each side of a center wound area to create the inward closing when under reduced pressure. A compressive force may also be developed. Other systems and methods are presented.

A liquid indicating article is disclosed. It can have a single layer, but generally will have at least two layers bonded together, wherein a visible layer masks a second colored layer wherein the visible layer is a wicking material that becomes semitransparent when wet, wherein the colored layer is a permeable adhesive that bonds to the mask layer.

A system for providing a force to a desired area on a curved body part of a person includes a dressing assembly shaped and configured to be placed on the desired area of the person, a releaseable circumferential member surrounding the curved body part that holds the dressing assembly against the desired area, a sealing subsystem for providing a fluid seal over the dressing assembly and the person's skin, and a reduced-pressure subsystem for providing a reduced pressure to the dressing assembly. When reduced pressure is supplied, the system generates the force against the desired area on the curved body part.

A wound dressing having a chromic material responsive to at least one stimuli. In one or more embodiments, a plurality of individual liquid expandable articles introduce the chromatic material to the wound. The individual liquid-expandable articles release stored mechanical energy and mechanically expand into expanded articles upon contact with a liquid associated with the wound. In response to the chromic material receiving the at least one stimuli the chromic material provides a color change evidencing how long the expanded articles have been in contact with the wound and where the expanded articles are within the wound. In one or more embodiments, determinations may be made about removing the expanded articles from the wound based on the color of the chromic material.

A method for dressing a wound. The method includes introducing a chromic material via at least one article to the wound and stimulating the chromic material with a stimuli. The method also includes providing a color change in response to stimulating the chromic material and indicating via the color change of the chromic material how long the article has been at least partially in contact with the wound. In one or more embodiments, the method may also include measuring the color change from information including a plurality of colors corresponding to a plurality of time periods and, in response to measuring the color change, determining a length of time the article has been in contact with the wound. The method may also include manually crumpling a distal end of a portion of the article such that the distal end of the portion is sized to be received within the wound and then manually separating the crumpled distal end from the rest of the article.

A skin patch for the UV protection is contemplated as being formed from a vulcanized silicone substrate, an adhesive gel coating adhered to the internal surface of the silicone substrate, and a release liner removably attached to the adhesive gel coating, wherein following removal of the release liner from the adhesive gel coating, the coating is operative to enable adherence of the skin patch to skin. The skin patch is further contemplated as being operative to at least partially absorb solar ultraviolet radiation via the vulcanized silicone substate or the adhesive coating additionally comprising at least one UV-blocking compound having an absorption peak in the ultraviolet spectrum.

A medical dressing comprising a backing layer and a self-supporting substrate. The backing layers form a perimeter around the self supporting substrate and holds the self supporting substrate in place on a wound. The self supporting substrate comprises a valve. The adhesive article forms a sealed environment between the medical article and the surface surrounding the wound such that a negative pressure can be maintained in the sealed environment through the valve.

In some embodiments, a wound dressing that incorporates a number of sensors or sensors separate from the wound dressing can be utilized in order to monitor characteristics of a wound as it heals or to identify one or more risk factors or conditions that may precipitate a wound. In some implementations, a wound dressing configured to be positioned in contact with a wound includes a substantially flexible substrate supporting one or more sensors. The one or more sensors can include temperature sensors, conductivity sensors, multispectral optical measurements sensors, pH sensors, pressure sensors, colorimetric sensors, optical sensors, ultraviolet (UV) sensors, or infrared (IR) sensors.