Peripheral hydrogel wound dressing

A wound covering dressing for forming a peripheral seal to skin around a wound, the dressing comprising:

• a dressing having a predetermined size and a predetermined shape to define a central region of the dressing for covering a wound of the skin of a patient, and to further define a sealing region that completely encompasses the central region of the dressing;
• and,
• an adhesive hydrogel disposed in the sealing region of the dressing to form a seal between the dressing and a region of the skin that encompasses the wound;
• and,
• a release liner disposed on a wound facing surface of the adhesive hydrogel having a predetermined thickness based on a desired level of pliability,
• wherein the central region of the dressing is devoid of the adhesive hydrogel, an outer edge of the sealing region of the dressing has a shape corresponding to the predetermined shape of the dressing, an outer edge of the sealing region lies within a peripheral outline of an outer edge of the dressing, and, when the sealing region is sealed to the skin around the wound, the sealing region peripherally encompasses the wound such that the wound is entirely sealed and encompassed by the surrounding skin, the adhesive hydrogel, and the dressing, and,
• wherein the adhesive hydrogel includes an antimicrobial agent adapted to release towards the wound facing surface of the hydrogel when the release liner is removed from the adhesive hydrogel,
• wherein the wound covering dressing and the release liner are both foldable,
• wherein the adhesive hydrogel has a substantially uniform thickness between the dressing and the release liner,
• wherein the release liner has a pliability effective to prevent pinching of the adhesive hydrogel when the wound covering dressing and the release liner are both folded.