Reduced-pressure treatment systems and methods employing hydrogel reservoir members

1. A reduced-pressure treatment system for treating a tissue site on a patient, the reduced-pressure treatment system comprising:

a manifold pad for disposing proximate the tissue site, the manifold pad comprising:

a manifold member, and

a hydrogel reservoir member impregnated within the manifold member, the hydrogel reservoir member adapted to receive and store a fluid from the tissue site at a first pressure and adapted to release at least a portion of the fluid at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure on an absolute pressure scale;

a sealing drape for placing over the tissue site and the manifold pad, the sealing drape adapted to form a fluid seal; and

a reduced-pressure subsystem for delivering reduced pressure to the manifold pad.

2. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is substantially atmospheric pressure.

3. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is a hydrostatic pressure proximate to the tissue site.

4. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel reservoir member is adapted to release between 20% and 80% of the stored fluid under the influence of the second pressure.

5. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold member comprises a porous foam having interconnected struts within an interior portion of the manifold member, and the hydrogel reservoir member is a hydrogel coating applied to the interconnected struts within the interior portion of the manifold member.

6. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel reservoir member comprises a plurality of hydrogel beads disposed within the manifold member, and each of the plurality of hydrogel beads has a diameter proportional to a distance from a center of the manifold member.

7. The reduced-pressure treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold member comprises a porous foam having interconnected struts within an interior portion of the manifold member, and the hydrogel reservoir member comprises an ionic hydrogel coating applied to the interconnected struts within the interior portion of the manifold member.

8. A manifold pad for treating a tissue site of a patient, the manifold pad comprising:

a manifold member adapted to distribute reduced pressure;

a hydrogel reservoir member impregnated within the manifold member; and

wherein the hydrogel reservoir member is adapted to receive and store a fluid from the tissue site at a first pressure and adapted to release at least a portion of the fluid at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure on an absolute pressure scale.

9. The manifold pad of claim 8 , wherein the manifold member comprises a foam having a plurality of interconnected struts within an interior portion of the manifold member; wherein the hydrogel reservoir member comprises a hydrogel coating; and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of interconnected struts within the manifold member are at least partially coated with the hydrogel coating.

10. The manifold pad of claim 8 , wherein the hydrogel reservoir member is an ionic hydrogel.

11. The manifold pad of claim 8 , wherein the hydrogel reservoir member is adapted to release between 20% and 80% of the absorbed fluid under the influence of reduced pressure.

12. The manifold pad of claim 8 , wherein:

wherein the hydrogel reservoir member comprises a plurality of hydrogel beads disposed within an interior portion of the manifold member; and

wherein each of the plurality of hydrogel beads has a diameter proportional to a distance from a center of the manifold member.

13. The manifold pad of claim 8 , wherein:

the manifold member includes a central portion and a peripheral portion;

a first plurality of hydrogel beads is disposed within the central portion; and

a second plurality of hydrogel beads is disposed within the peripheral portion and the second plurality of hydrogel beds is more numerous than the first plurality of hydrogel beads.

14. The manifold pad of claim 8 , wherein:

the manifold member includes a central portion and a peripheral portion;

a plurality of hydrogel beads are disposed within the central portion and within the peripheral portion; and

a first diameter of each of the hydrogel beads disposed within the peripheral portion is greater than a second diameter of the hydrogel beads disposed within the central portion.

15. The manifold pad of claim 13 , wherein a cross-section of each of the first plurality of hydrogel beads and the second plurality of hydrogel beads is circular.

16. The manifold pad of claim 12 , wherein the manifold member has a height (h 1 ), a tissue-facing side, and a first side; and wherein the plurality of hydrogel beads is disposed within one third (⅓) h 1 from the first side of the manifold member.

17. A manifold pad for treating a tissue site on a patient, the manifold pad comprising:

a manifold member comprising a first material of interconnected struts within the manifold member forming a plurality of interconnected cells through the manifold member; and

a reservoir member comprising a second material coating at least a portion of the interconnected struts within the manifold member;

wherein the first material and the second material are different materials;

wherein the second material is a super absorbent polymer that is adapted to receive and retain liquids from the tissue site at a first pressure and is adapted to release a substantial portion of the liquids at a second pressure.