Skin substitute and wound dressing with variable pore sizes
Inventors
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-9017405-B2
Publication Date
2015-04-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
An improved skin substitute is presented comprised of a silicone layer backed up with a woven nylon fabric layer, the silicone layer possessing a regular pattern of slits that permit the porosity of the skin substitute to be adjusted by clinicians by means of applying tension to the skin substitute that differentially opens the slits. A variety of therapeutic substances can be applied to the skin substitute to promote healing, including aloe and other medicinal preparations.
Core Innovation
A skin substitute comprised of two layers is provided, with an upper layer formed by a silicone membrane and a lower layer formed by a woven nylon fabric. The silicone membrane has a selected thickness from 0.001" to 0.005" and includes a plurality of slits in its surface, made after the two layers are joined together and arranged in multiple rows of parallel slits.
The lower layer is woven in a regular pattern with a perpendicular wale and course orientation, and the slits on the surface either follow the wale direction or cross the wale direction perpendicularly. The upper layer and the lower layer are treated with a plurality of layers of medicinal or therapeutic substances applied to the two layers, and the skin substitute is designed to place the woven nylon fabric side down on top of a wound when in use.
The slits provide essentially zero porosity with no stretching tension placed on it, and the porosity is variable proportional to the amount of stretching tension and the direction in which the stretching tension is placed. The direction of stretching tension is dependent on the orientation of the slits with the wale and course orientation of the woven nylon fabric, and the skin substitute is selected to be used in combination with an absorptive dressing placed above the skin substitute over the wound.
Claims Coverage
The partial document provides one independent claim, with six inventive features focused on a two-layer skin substitute, slit formation and patterning, orientation-dependent variable porosity controlled by stretching tension, medicinal or therapeutic substance layers, and use with an absorptive dressing.
Two-layer skin substitute with silicone membrane and woven nylon fabric
A skin substitute comprised of an upper layer comprised of a silicone membrane and a lower layer comprised of a woven nylon fabric.
Silicone membrane thickness and slit pattern formed after joining
The silicone membrane selected in a thickness from 0.001" to 0.005" and the upper layer possessing a plurality of slits in its surface, said slits made after the two layers are joined together, said slits in a pattern comprised of multiple rows of parallel slits.
Orientation-dependent slit direction relative to woven wale and course
The lower layer woven in a regular pattern with a perpendicular wale and course orientation, the slits on the surface either following the wale direction of the lower layer or crossing the wale direction perpendicularly, with stretching tension direction dependent on the orientation of said slits with the wale and course orientation of the woven nylon fabric.
Essentially zero porosity at no tension and variable porosity proportional to stretching tension
Said slits placed in said upper layer such that the skin substitute has essentially zero porosity with no stretching tension placed on it, the porosity of said skin substitute variable proportional to the amount of stretching tension and the direction in which said stretching tension is placed on the skin substitute.
Medicinal or therapeutic substance multilayer treatment
Said upper layer and said lower layer treated with a plurality of layers of medicinal or therapeutic substances applied to the two layers of the skin substitute.
Wound placement with woven nylon fabric side down and absorptive dressing
The skin substitute designed to place the woven nylon fabric side down on top of a wound when in use, the skin substitute selected to be used in combination with an absorptive dressing placed above said skin substitute over the wound.
The independent claim combines a silicone membrane upper layer with a woven nylon lower layer, a slit pattern that yields essentially zero porosity at no tension and variable porosity under stretching tension, medicinal or therapeutic substance treatment, and use with an absorptive dressing over the wound.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?