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.

A medical dressing (30) is disclosed, comprising an adhesive layer (3) having a skin-facing surface (6) to adhere the medical dressing to a dermal surface, wherein said adhesive layer comprises a first chemical compound incorporated within said adhesive layer, and wherein at least a portion of said skin-facing surface comprises a coating (9) comprising a second chemical compound. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing such a medical dressing.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to the treatment of wounds using negative pressure. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide for a foam pad, which may be suitable for use in abdominal wound sites, and which may be sized in a dimensionally-independent manner. Additional embodiments provide for a wound contact layer, as well as a system for the treatment of abdominal wounds.

A method, and apparatus for the controlled acceleration, and/or retardation of the body's inflammatory response generally comprises a foam pad for insertion substantially into a wound site, a heating, a cooling pad for application over the wound site, a wound drape or sealing enclosure of the foam pad, the heating, and cooling pad at wound site. The foam pad is placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source for promotion of the controlled acceleration or retardation of the body's inflammatory response. The heating, and cooling provision controls the local metabolic function as part of the inflammatory response.

Apparatus and methods for providing a wound dressing are provided. A wound dressing according to the invention may preferably include a wound-fluid negative pressure treatment (NPT) drain and a vacuum/drainage tube comprising a terminus associated with the NPT drain. The dressing may also include a fluid-absorbing/transferring material. The dressing may also include a contour-conforming draping layer for draping over a wound-bed. The draping layer may be in contact with at least a portion of the fluid-absorbing/transferring material. The dressing may also include a vapor sealant sheet that overlies at least a portion of the fluid-absorbing/transferring layer. The material may also include a tube-anchorage component that is in contact with at least a portion of the vapor sealant sheet. The tube-anchorage component may mechanically maintain placement of the NPT drain within the fluid-absorbing/transferring material.

Glass-based particles of a biocompatible material which comprises 40 to about 80 wt % borate (B.sub.2O.sub.3) intermixed into a carrier which is an ointment, cream, or surgical glue.

A method for treating a wound that includes incorporating a wound dressing comprising a plurality of fibers, each fiber having a length of at least two (2) inches, into a wound to cause the walls of the wound to remain apart and allow the wound to heal from the inside to the outside, and removing the wound exudate.

Described generally herein are tissue therapy devices, which may comprise a sealant layer and a suction apparatus. The sealant layer functions so as to create a sealed enclosure between it and the surface of a patient by forming, preferably, an airtight seal around an area of tissue that requires negative pressure therapy. The tissue therapy device may comprise a suction apparatus. The suction apparatus is typically in fluid communication with the sealant layer and functions so as to reduce the amount of pressure present underneath the sealant layer. The reduced pressure is self-created by the suction apparatus. Together the sealant layer and the suction apparatus preferably create a closed reduced pressure therapy system. Preferably, the pressure under the sealant layer is reduced by expanding the volume of the enclosure space and thereby decreasing the density of the air molecules under the sealant layer.

Described generally herein are tissue therapy devices, which may comprise a sealant layer and a suction apparatus. The sealant layer functions so as to create a sealed enclosure between it and the surface of a patient by forming, preferably, an airtight seal around an area of tissue that requires negative pressure therapy. The tissue therapy device may comprise a suction apparatus. The suction apparatus is typically in fluid communication with the sealant layer and functions so as to reduce the amount of pressure present underneath the sealant layer. The reduced pressure is self-created by the suction apparatus. Together the sealant layer and the suction apparatus preferably create a closed reduced pressure therapy system. Preferably, the pressure under the sealant layer is reduced by expanding the volume of the enclosure space and thereby decreasing the density of the air molecules under the sealant layer.

The invention relates to an absorbent article for application to human or animal skin surfaces in the region of wounds, consisting of an outer covering (2) which is permeable for liquid substances, and of an inner layer (1) which is surrounded by the covering (2) and which consists essentially of a mixture of an amount of strongly osmotically active substances with an amount of osmotically comparatively weak or osmotically inactive substances, such as cellulose. The inner layer (1) is filled with osmotically active substances in such a way that it is possible to exert on a wound, with the wound fluids contained therein, an osmotic pressure via which the wound fluid can be removed from the organism to be treated, and thus it is possible to assist both in the surfaced wound region and in the depth of the tissue a normal interstitial hydration of tissue by directing endogenous fluids in their direction of flow to the patient's skin surface into the absorbent article, and keeping them there.