POROUS KERATIN CONSTRUCTS, WOUND HEALING ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS USING THE SAME
A porous keratin construct for use in wound healing is disclosed. The porous keratin construct may be used standing alone or in combination with a synthetic foam backing layer. Either the porous keratin construct or the porous keratin construct and synthetic foam combination may be used in a wound therapy such as negative pressure wound therapy. An assembly for use in negative pressure wound therapy may comprise a porous keratin construct or porous keratin construct and synthetic foam combination, a wound drape to encapsulate the wound and the porous keratin construct or porous keratin construct and synthetic foam combination, and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the wound drape to apply a negative pressure to the area encapsulated by the wound drape
1 . A bone defect or soft tissue wound healing assembly comprising:
a first porous keratin protein construct for positioning in a bone defect site or soft tissue wound bed;
a wound drape for encapsulating a bone defect site or soft tissue wound bed and the first porous keratin protein construct positioned therein; and
a vacuum in fluid communication with the wound drape for applying negative pressure to an area encapsulated by the wound drape.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first porous keratin protein construct comprises a keratin protein selected from the group consisting of S-sulfonated keratin protein, oxidized keratin protein and reduced keratin protein.
3 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the keratin protein is a keratin protein fraction.
4 . The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is selected from the group consisting of intermediate filament protein, high sulfur protein and high glycine-tyrosine protein.
5 . The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is intact.
6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is hydrolysed.
7 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more supplemental porous keratin protein constructs layered on top of the first porous keratin protein construct.
8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first porous keratin protein construct comprises perforations.
9 . A bone defect or soft tissue wound healing assembly comprising:
a first porous keratin protein construct for positioning in a bone defect site or soft tissue wound bed, the first porous keratin protein construct comprising:
a first surface for contacting a bone defect site or soft tissue wound bed; and
a second surface opposite the first surface;
a first synthetic foam construct positioned on the second surface of the first porous keratin protein construct;
a wound drape for encapsulating a bone defect site or soft tissue wound bed, the first porous keratin protein construct and the synthetic foam construct; and
a vacuum in fluid communication with the wound drape for applying negative pressure to an area encapsulated by the wound drape.
10 . The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the keratin protein construct comprises keratin protein selected from the group consisting of S-sulfonated keratin protein, oxidized keratin protein and reduced keratin protein.
11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the keratin protein is a keratin protein fraction.
12 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is selected from the group consisting of intermediate filament protein, high sulfur protein and high glycine-tyrosine protein.
13 . The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is intact.
14 . The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is hydrolysed.
15 . The assembly of claim 9 further comprising one or more supplemental porous keratin protein constructs positioned between the first porous keratin protein construct and the first synthetic foam construct.
16 . The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising one or more supplemental synthetic foam construct positioned on top of the first synthetic foam construct.
17 . The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first porous keratin protein construct comprises perforations.
18 . A method for treating bone defects or soft tissue wounds comprising:
(1) positioning a porous keratin protein construct in a soft tissue wound bed or bone defect site;
(2) encapsulating the porous keratin protein construct and soft tissue wound bed or bone defect site with a wound drape to create an encapsulated area; and
(3) applying negative pressure to the encapsulated area;
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises between steps (1) and (2), positioning a synthetic foam construct on the porous keratin protein construct.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the porous keratin protein construct comprises a plurality of porous keratin protein constructs stacked on top of one another.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the porous keratin protein construct comprises a plurality of porous keratin protein constructs stacked on top of one another.
22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the synthetic foam construct comprises a plurality of synthetic foam constructs stacked on top of one another.
23 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the porous keratin protein construct comprises keratin protein selected from the group consisting of S-sulfonated keratin protein, oxidized keratin protein, and reduced keratin protein.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the keratin protein is a keratin protein fraction.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is selected from the group consisting of intermediate filament protein, high sulfur protein, and high glycine-tyrosine protein.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is intact.
27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the keratin protein is hydrolysed.
28 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the porous keratin protein construct comprises perforations.