Dressings, systems, and methods for treating a tissue site on a patient involve allowing liquids from the tissue site or a priming fluid to evaporate and exit the dressing through a liquid-impermeable, vapor-permeable membrane. The dressing is able to process more liquids than would otherwise be possible without evaporation and potentially to create reduced pressure. Other dressings, systems, and methods are disclosed.

A medical dressing is described for prevention of pressure ulcers. The dressing has a gel pad having a low compressive strength; i.e. from 5 kPa to 60 kPa at a strain of 50%, as measured by the compression test described herein. The dressing reduces the shear and compression forces on the skin and in the underlying the soft tissue layers and prevents or mitigates the onset of pressure ulcers.

A reduced-pressure system for treating tissue, such as damaged subcutaneous tissue, includes a shaped dressing bolster for placing on the patient's epidermis and substantially sized to overlay the damaged subcutaneous tissue. The system further includes a sealing subsystem for providing a fluid seal over the shaped dressing bolster and a portion of the patient's epidermis, and a reduced-pressure subsystem for delivering a reduced pressure to the sealing subsystem. The reduced-pressure system may develop a force, which may include a vertical force that is realized at tissue site deeper than the epidermis or a closing force directed towards the incision. The shaped dressing bolster is shaped to evenly distribute the force. Other methods and systems are included.

Oxygen diffusive wound dressings and methods of manufacturing and use are described herein. The wound dressing may generally provide a ready supply of oxygen to a wound being treated via one or more oxygen conduits which are designed to pass oxygen from ambient air or other oxygen reservoirs into proximity to the wound, and may also provide for exudate removal through transecting channels in fluid communication with both the wound surface and a hydrophilic absorbent material.

Described is a medical dressing that includes a gel pad arranged between a backing layer and an adhesive body contact layer, wherein a gel of the gel pad has a compressive strength of from 5 to 60 kPa at a strain of 50%, as measured according to a compression test, and wherein the gel pad has apertures that extend through the gel pad.

An apparatus is provided for supplying fluid to tissue of a patient. The apparatus includes an inflatable receptacle positionable at a tissue area. The receptacle comprises one or more walls and is adapted to receive a fluid. The one or more walls comprise at least one section adapted to allow molecules within the fluid to diffuse from the receptacle to the tissue area. The apparatus further includes a cover positionable over the receptacle to form a compartment substantially bounded by the cover, the receptacle and the tissue area.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for dressing a wound. The apparatus comprises a sealing layer comprising at least one orifice, an absorbent layer over the sealing layer, absorbing wound exude and a liquid impermeable, gas permeable filter layer over the absorbent layer.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for dressing a wound. The apparatus comprises a sealing layer comprising at least one orifice, an absorbent layer over the sealing layer, absorbing wound exude and a liquid impermeable, gas permeable filter layer over the absorbent layer.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for dressing a wound. The apparatus comprises an absorbent layer for absorbing wound exudate, a liquid impermeable, gas permeable filter layer over the absorbent layer, a cover layer comprising at least one orifice and a first liquid and gas permeable transmission layer underlying the absorbent layer. The transmission layer is in fluid communication with the filter layer.

Described is a medical dressing that includes a backing layer, a body contact layer and a gel pad arranged between the backing layer and the body contact layer, wherein the backing layer and the body contact layer extend beyond a periphery of the gel pad to define a border portion around a contour of the pad, wherein the gel has a compressive strength of from 1 to 30 kPa at a strain of 25% and/or a compressive strength of from 5 to 70 kPa at a strain of 50%, as measured according to ASTM D3574-11, test C.