Combination SIS and vacuum bandage and method

1. A wound care bandage for use with a vacuum source, the wound care bandage comprising:

a collagen matrix configured to be placed by a caretaker on a wound of a patient and to integrate into the wound,

a cover configured for placement over the wound to provide a sealed environment around the wound, and

a porous pad configured for placement between the collagen matrix and the cover and removable from the wound after sufficient integration of the collagen matrix into the wound, the porous pad having an aperture defined by an inner wall to provide a vacuum space defined by the collagen matrix, the cover, and the inner wall; and

wherein the vacuum source is coupleable to the vacuum space and operable to provide negative pressure to the vacuum space in a magnitude over a duration period sufficient to hold the porous pad in place without sutures or staples during communication of negative pressure to the vacuum space.

2. The bandage of claim 1 , wherein the porous pad has a thickness of approximately one to two centimeters.

3. The bandage of claim 1 , wherein the collagen matrix comprises a submucosa layer.

4. The bandage of claim 1 , wherein the bandage further includes a biological glue for positioning between the wound and the collagen matrix for holding the collagen matrix stationary relative to the wound.

5. The bandage of claim 4 , wherein the glue is a fibrin sealant.

6. The bandage of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a first surface and a second surface and the first surface includes an adhesive for adhering to skin adjacent the wound.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the porous pad includes air passageways between the cover and the collagen matrix to further define the vacuum space.

8. The bandage of claim 1 , wherein the inner wall of the aperture is a ring.

9. The wound care bandage of claim 1 , wherein the collagen matrix layer is a sheet of collagen matrix material having a three-dimensional structure which, upon placement into a wound, supports tissue remodeling.

10. The wound care bandage of claim 9 , wherein the collagen matrix layer is selected from the group consisting of submucosa, lamina propria, and stratum compactum.

11. A method for promoting wound healing using a vacuum source, the method comprising:

applying a collagen matrix to a wound surface;

positioning a porous pad adjacent the collagen matrix, the porous pad having an aperture defined by an inner wall;

placing a cover over the wound and the porous pad to create a vacuum space defined by the collagen matrix, the cover, and the inner wall of the porous pad; and

providing a vacuum from the vacuum source to the vacuum space in a magnitude over a duration period sufficient to hold the porous pad in place without sutures or staples and draw blood from the wound into the collagen matrix to facilitate integration of the collagen matrix into the wound surface with the porous pad being removable from the wound after integration of the collagen matrix into the wound.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first collagen matrix comprises a submucosa layer.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the porous pad includes air passageways between the cover and the collagen matrix to further define the vacuum space.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the inner wall of the aperture is a ring.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vacuum is applied intermittently by cycling the vacuum source on and off at intervals over the duration period to controllably draw fluid from the wound into the collagen matrix.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vacuum is applied by turning the vacuum source on at a constant rate and turning the vacuum source off after the duration period to controllably draw blood from the wound into the collagen matrix.