Body-fluid containers, methods, and systems are presented that include a container that has a container housing formed, at least in part, by a liquid-impermeable, vapor-permeable material. The liquid-impermeable, vapor-permeable material allows water to evaporate and be transmitted outside of the container. The evaporation allows more fluid to be processed by the container than the container could otherwise hold. Other systems, methods, and apparatuses are presented.

A therapeutic article of manufacture suitable for adhesive application to the skin of a user includes an elongate support layer formed of a single layer of woven fabric. The woven fabric has a ratio of elongation in percent to tensile strength (lb/in-width) that is less than 0.9 in only one of two test directions, where elongation, tensile strength, and test directions are determined under test conditions specified in ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) D3759. The article of manufacture additionally includes an adhesive intermittent across the support layer and a removable cover layer releasably retained on the adhesive.

A method of manufacturing a laminated dressing that includes providing a lower layer having a fiber material that directly contacts a patient's skin and a wound area, providing an upper layer that has a foam or foam-like material that absorbs exudate and moisture, and binding the fiber-based lower layer and the foam-based upper layer with a binder layer comprising a binder material, the binder layer including a series of perforations. The perforations in the binder layer are formed by removing material from the binder layer with a pattern coated adhesive sheet prior to binding the fiber-based lower layer and the foam-based upper layer.

A material includes a support layer comprising a single layer of woven fabric less than 30 mils thick. The support layer includes a plurality of anatomical supports each having a pair of substantially straight sides and rounded end portions and all of a substantially same size and shape. Each of the plurality of anatomical supports is at least partially disconnected from a remaining portion of the support layer. The support layer has a ratio of elongation to tensile strength (lb/in-width) that is less than 0.9 in at least one direction. The material additionally includes an adhesive layer on said support layer for adhesive attachment of said support layer to the outer skin surface of a user and a removable cover layer on said adhesive layer. The plurality of the anatomical supports in the support layer is attached to an at least partially continuous portion of the removable cover layer.

A binder layer for a laminated wound dressing is brought into contact with a sheet coated with a pattern-coated adhesive sheet. As the binder layer is in contact with the pattern-coated adhesive sheet, a series of closed-loop cuts are made in the binder layer. The closed-loop cuts are made in such a way that the material enclosed by each closed loop is substantially physically separated from the remainder of the binder layer. Then the binder layer is moved away from the pattern-coated adhesive sheet, so that the binder layer and the pattern-coated adhesive sheet are no longer in contact. When the binder layer and the pattern-coated adhesive sheet are moved apart, the material enclosed in the closed-loop cutsi.e., the cut waste fragmentsare retained on the pattern-coated adhesive sheet, ensuring that the binder layer includes a series of cleared perforations.

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 penile condom catheter facilitates urine collection and egress of urinary fluids away from the body torso. A circumferential anchoring structure includes a web of flexible strands sized and arranged to at least partially contact a portion of the penis. The anchoring structure provides a flexible yet secure hold against the penis when flaccid and provides an increase in the hold when a longitudinal force is exerted upon the anchoring structure. An annularly circumferential penile skin covering material is affixed to the anchoring structure and sized to fit over at least a portion of the penis. A seal is affixed to at least a portion of a covering material, a covering material orifice, or an anchoring structure. A conduit is affixed to at least one of a covering material, a covering material orifice, a seal and an anchoring structure created to permit the flow of urinary fluid away.

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 dressing assembly for use with a reduced pressure treatment system, the dressing assembly develops a directed force under reduced pressure. The directed force may be a radial force or a closing force. The dressing assembly includes a shaped dressing bolster having a shaped extremity that is operable to evenly deliver the radial force and to distribute reduced pressure. Numerous shapes may be used for the shaped extremity. The dressing assembly may further include an over-drape to assist in creating a seal over the shaped dressing bolster and against a portion of a patient's epidermis.

The illustrative systems, methods, and dressings for applying reduced pressure to a tissue site are presented that involve quickly removing fluids from the tissue site to reduce or avoid maceration of the epidermis. One dressing includes a dressing material for transferring the reduced pressure to the tissue site and a drape covering at least a portion of the dressing material. The dressing material includes a hydrophobic tissue-interface layer adapted to contact the tissue site. The dressing material also includes a manifold adapted to distribute reduced pressure. The manifold may be a hydrophobic layer. The dressing material also includes one or more absorbent layers adapted to absorb liquid from the tissue site via the tissue-interface layer and the manifold. Other aspects are disclosed.