Three-dimensional porous film contact layer with improved wound healing
A wound dressing has a micro-architecture to produce appropriate strains in cells to promote the healing a wound. The apparatus includes a wound cover for defining a reservoir over a wound in which a negative pressure may be maintained by forming a substantially fluid-tight seal around the wound, a vacuum source in fluid communication with the reservoir and suitable for providing an appropriate negative pressure to the reservoir to stimulate healing of the wound, and a porous structure positioned in contact with the wound for delivering micro-mechanical forces to localized areas of the wound. The porous structure comprises a three-dimensional film material having directional apertures formed therein.
1. A therapeutic apparatus to promote healing of a wound comprising:
a wound cover for defining a reservoir over a wound in which a negative pressure may be maintained by forming a substantially fluid-tight seal around the wound;
a vacuum source in fluid communication with the reservoir, the vacuum source suitable for providing an appropriate negative pressure to the reservoir to stimulate healing of the wound;
a three-dimensional film material in contact with the wound, the three dimensional film material having a plurality of tapered passages defined between a male face and an opposite female face thereof, each of the tapered passages including an apex oriented on the male face that is narrower than a base oriented on the female face, wherein the three-dimensional film material is positioned such that the male face is in contact with the wound.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an energy source and a transmitter adapted to deliver energy to the three-dimensional film material.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transmitter comprises an ultrasonic horn.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional film material is positioned such that the female face is in contact with the wound.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein adjacent tapered passages are spaced apart by a distance ranging from about 400 microns to about 800 microns.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the adjacent tapered passages are spaced apart by a distance of about 600 microns.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tapered passages have a diameter of from about 50 microns to about 350 microns.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional film material has a material thickness ranging from about 25 microns to about 75 microns and a height ranging from about 200 microns to about 300 microns.
9. A therapeutic apparatus to promote healing of a wound comprising:
a film material having frusto-conical structures projecting to a height above a base of the film material, wherein each of the frusto-conical structures include an opening at an apex thereof;
a filler disposed on a first side of the film material, wherein the frusto-conical structures of the film material project from a second side of the film material that is opposite of the first side of the film material; and
an ultrasonic horn adapted to deliver ultrasonic energy to the film material.