Method for preparing a compressed wound dressing

1. A method comprising

providing an aqueous solution including a hydrophilic polymer comprising polyacrylic acid;

placing the aqueous solution in a mold;

freezing said aqueous solution within the mold by cooling the mold and aqueous solution according to prescribed conditions to form a frozen polyacrylic acid structure within the mold;

removing water from the frozen polyacrylic acid structure by a prescribed freeze-drying process to form a sponge-like polyacrylic acid structure having a thickness and a density;

compressing the sponge-like polyacrylic acid structure by the application of heat and pressure to reduce the thickness and increase the density of the sponge-like polyacrylic acid structure to form a densified polyacrylic acid structure;

preconditioning the densified polyacrylic acid structure by heating the densified polyacrylic acid structure according to prescribed conditions to form a wound dressing, and

applying the wound dressing to control severe, life-threatening bleeding from a wound at a wound site of a person.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further including degassing the aqueous solution before freezing the aqueous solution.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the densified polyacrylic acid structure has a density of about 0.6 g/cm3 to about 0.15 g/cm3.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further including incorporating an active ingredient.

5. A method according to claim 1 , further including incorporating a wettable polymer matrix within the wound dressing.

6. A method according to claim 1 , further including incorporating a wettable polymer matrix on a surface of the wound dressing.

7. A method according to claim 1 , further including incorporating a backing support layer on a surface of the wound dressing.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the sponge structure has a degree of adhesion to the wound site of at least about 40 kPa.

9. A method according to claim 1 , further including selecting as the wound site a site of severe bleeding characterized in that about 30-40% total blood loss would result within 20 to 30 minutes if the bleeding was left uncontrolled.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein applying the wound dressing includes applying the wound dressing with about 60 to 80 kPa pressure directly to the wound site.

11. A method according to claim 1 , further including forming a macrotextured surface on the wound dressing.