Foam structure wound inserts for directional granulation
View Patent ↗A wound treatment system comprises a wound-treatment apparatus and a wound dressing coupled to the apparatus. The wound dressing includes a foam structure wound insert having pores with a greater cross-sectional area when viewed from a first direction and a smaller cross-sectional area when viewed from an orthogonal direction. Methods for making such wound inserts may include compressing foam structure material having pores with a substantially uniform cross-sectional area. Methods for treating a wound using a wound insert.
1. A wound insert for use with a wound dressing, the wound insert comprising:
a foam structure having a first surface, a second surface generally parallel to the first surface, and a third surface extending between the first surface and the second surface; and
a plurality of pores distributed through the foam structure in an open-cell relation forming flow channels for receiving and distributing fluid to a wound, the plurality of pores having an average first cross-sectional area parallel to the first surface and an average second cross-sectional area parallel to the third surface, wherein the average first cross-sectional area is greater than the average second cross-sectional area;
wherein:
the first surface is a granulating surface;
the average first cross-sectional area comprises a diameter no less than 2.0 millimeters; and
the average second cross-sectional area us compressed at a ratio less than or equal to 5:1.
2. The wound insert of claim 1 wherein the third surface is substantially perpendicular to the first and second surfaces.
3. The wound insert of claim 1 wherein the wound insert is substantially rectangular in shape.
4. The wound insert of claim 1 wherein the first surface comprises a plurality of channels.
5. The wound insert of claim 4 wherein the channels are approximately 1.0 millimeters wide.
6. The wound insert of claim 1 wherein the second surface is adapted to receive fluids from a source of fluid and the first surface is adapted to be disposed proximate the wound for distributing the fluids to the wound.
7. The wound insert of claim 1 further comprising indicia positioned on the third surface indicating the correct orientation of the wound insert within the wound.
8. The wound insert of claim 1 , where the foam structure comprises hydrophilic foam.
9. The wound insert of claim 1 , wherein the average second cross-sectional area has a minor axis less than or equal to about 0.5 millimeters.
10. A wound insert for use with a wound dressing, the wound insert comprising:
a foam structure having a first surface and a second surface generally parallel to the first surface; and
a plurality of pores distributed through the foam structure and formed having an open-cell relation including flow channels for receiving and distributing fluid to a wound, wherein flow channels formed by pores extending in a direction perpendicular to the first surface have a greater cross-section than the flow channels formed by pores extending in a direction parallel to the first surface.
11. The wound insert of claim 10 , wherein a majority of the pores of the plurality of pores comprise a first cross-sectional area when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface that is greater than a second cross-sectional when viewed from a direction parallel to the first surface.
12. The wound insert of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pores comprise pores on the first surface having the average first cross-sectional area and pores on the third surface having the average second cross-sectional area.