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.

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 medical device comprising a device that covers at least a portion of a patient's skin and has an inner surface designed to be in contact with the patient's skin. It contains a multi-ply knit fabric that contains a first knit ply and a second knit ply. The first knit ply contains a plurality of first yarns and forms the upper surface of the fabric. The second knit ply contains a plurality of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) yarns which forms the lower surface of the fabric. The first and second ply are integrated through combined portions formed by interlacing first yarns among the PTFE yarns, interlacing PTFE yarns among the first yarns, and interlacing a plurality of third yarns among the first and the PTFE yarns. The multi-ply knit fabric also contains a composition comprising at least one silver ion-containing compound on at least the upper surface of the multi-ply knit fabric.

Disclosed is a wound dressing material comprising a substrate, about 2.5% to about 8% by weight of a bicarbonate, and a film-forming agent, the film-forming agent serving as a binder for said bicarbonate to said substrate, the film-forming agent and the bicarbonate being present in a ratio of between 1:2 and 2:1 with respect to one another. Also disclosed are a method for preparing a wound dressing material and a method for treating a wound.

A bandage is provided having a flexible and wrapable bandage strip coated on one side with pressure sensitive adhesive, and on the same side as the pressure sensitive adhesive a compressible and expandable composition retaining well having an aperture configured to receive a medicated gel composition is affixed at its base about midway along a length of the strip; wherein the composition retaining well at rest is about 3 millimeters to 10 millimeters in height from its base to the aperture and having sides sloping towards the aperture of about 30 degrees to about 80 degrees. In one embodiment the strip and the composition retaining well can be integral. The composition retaining well can be compressible from about 20 to 80 percent of its height at rest. The composition retaining well can be made from an inert material and made of any suitable moisture-blocking material.

Wound dressing assembly including (i) blood-clotting mold device having an enclosure defined between walls of a main body and a removable closure over an opening and configured for introduction of blood thereinto, and (ii) coagulation initiator in amount sufficient to coagulate blood introduced into the enclosure to form a blood clot. The formed blood clot is transferable onto a wound. Method for preparing a wound dressing by introducing a volume of blood into the enclosure of the blood-clotting mold device, maintaining the blood within the enclosure for time sufficient to permit clotting of the blood to obtain a blood clot; removing the closure to open the enclosure; and extracting the blood clot from the enclosure. The formed blood clot may be used in a method for dressing a wound by fixation of the clot onto the wound.

A wound dressing is disclosed, the wound dressing comprising a first adhesive layer with a proximal surface configured for attachment of the wound dressing to the skin surface of a user; an absorbent core layer; an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged on a distal side of the absorbent core layer, the electrode assembly comprising a plurality of sensor points distributed along a distal surface of the absorbent core layer; and a top layer on a distal side of the electrode assembly.

Dressings and kits for use in wound therapy and negative-pressure therapy comprising a manifold layer comprising porous open-cell liquid permeable foam and a polymer composition The polymer composition comprises a polymer and an active agent, such as collagen and oxidized regenerated cellulose. The foam may be felted. Methods of making and using the dressings are also provided.