A system for providing reduced-pressure treatment to a moveable tissue site, such as a joint, includes a flexible dressing bolster. The flexible dressing bolster has a first side and a second, inward-facing side, and a plurality of flexion joints formed on the flexible dressing bolster. The system further includes a sealing subsystem for providing a fluid seal over the flexible dressing bolster and the patient's epidermis and a reduced-pressure subsystem for delivering a reduced pressure to the sealing subsystem. The sealing subsystem and reduced-pressure subsystem are operable to deliver a reduced pressure to the moveable tissue site. The flexible dressing bolster is operable to allow articulation or movement of the moveable tissue site. The sealing subsystem may include a drape with folds. Other systems, apparatuses, and methods are presented.

A full-surround contact antimicrobial dressing is disclosed. The dressing includes a transparent body that covers a skin insertion site through which a catheter assembly passes for disposal within the body of a patient. The transparency of the dressing body enables inspection of the skin insertion site. In one embodiment, therefore, an antimicrobial full-surround contact dressing for use with a medical device inserted into a skin surface of a patient via a skin insertion site is disclosed and comprises a transparent flat body, an antimicrobial adhesive substance disposed on a bottom surface of the body, and a slit defined in the body. The slit is configured to enable the body to be placed fully around a perimeter of the medical device on the skin surface at the skin insertion site such that the bottom surface of the body fully surrounds and contacts the skin insertion site.

An anisotropic wound drape for treating a wound on a patient includes a flexible sheet for placing over a tissue site. The flexible sheet includes a first isotropic zone, and a second isotropic zone. The first isotropic zone and the second isotropic zone are configured to provide the flexible sheet with anisotropic stretching properties. The anisotropic drape may used as part of a reduced-pressure wound treatment system. Other systems and methods are also presented.

A nonpermeable enclosure formed from a clear, waterproof fabric, has a cover ridge for insertion into a channel so as to produce a barrier against moisture and contaminants, and is attached to a closure band for securing the nonpermeable enclosure over a wearer's hand.

A medical dressing includes an adhesive, permeable layer, a fabric support, and a hydrochromatic layer. The adhesive, permeable layer is configured to adhere to skin near a wound, for example, an intravenous catheter or other percutaneous device insertion site. The fabric support is disposed on the adhesive, permeable layer. The hydrochromatic layer is disposed on the fabric support, and is configured to change a color appearance responsive to contact with moisture.

A composite wound dressing apparatus promotes healing of a wound via the use of a micropump system housed within or above a wound dressing member. The micropump system includes a miniature pump that applies a subatmospheric pressure to the wound to effectively draw wound fluid or exudate away from the wound bed without the need for a cumbersome external vacuum source. Hence, the wound dressing and micropump system is portable which allows the patient mobility that is unavailable when an external vacuum source is used. The patient does not need to be constrained for any period of time while exudate is being removed from the wound.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to negative pressure treatment systems and wound dressing systems, apparatuses, and methods that may be used for the treatment of wounds. In particular, some embodiments are directed to improved wound dressings comprising an obscuring layer that may hide fluid contained therein and a stabilizing structure that may aid in wound closure.

A treatment system for applying negative-pressure therapy to a wound site is disclosed. The treatment system may include a non-adherent material for applying to the perimeter of the wound site. In some embodiments, the treatment system may include a tape, a tissue interface, a sealing member, and a negative-pressure subsystem. The tape material may provide a smooth surface along the perimeter of the wound site for protecting the wound edges from stresses and for promoting epithelialization.

A wound therapy apparatus is disclosed herein. In various aspects, the wound therapy apparatus may include a wound interface sealingly securable to the skin surface around a wound bed to encloses a wound boundary of a wound bed within a enclosed space formed by the wound interface 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 the pressure p.sub.0 within the enclosed space periodically over the pressure range p.sub.minp.sub.0p.sub.max, in various aspects. The wound therapy apparatus may include a pad receivable within the enclosed space to absorb exudate emanating from the wound bed, in various aspects. The variation of the pressure p.sub.0 distends the wound bed into communication with the pad received within the enclosed space and releases the wound bed from communication with the pad received in the enclosed space when the wound interface is sealingly secured to the skin surface around the wound bed, in various aspects. Related methods of use of the wound therapy apparatus are also disclosed herein.

This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the apparatus and related methods of use disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to negative pressure treatment systems and wound dressing systems, apparatuses, and methods that may be used for the treatment of wounds. In particular, some embodiments are directed to improved wound dressings comprising an obscuring layer that may hide fluid contained therein. Some embodiments may further comprise one or more viewing windows disposed therethrough so as to enable monitoring or examination of fluids contained therein.