Reduced pressure treatment system having a dual porosity pad

A method for making a porous pad for providing reduced pressure to a tissue site, the method comprising:

• spraying a chemical substance capable of expanding and hardening into a porous body having an outer surface and an outer surface portion covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the porous body;
• allowing the porous body to slightly harden into a foam-like substance with the outer surface portion having pores with an average diameter less than the average diameter of the pores of the remaining portion of the porous body;
• and
• inserting one end of a tube into the foam-like substance prior to solidification to provide a pathway for reduced pressure into the porous body;
• whereby the foam-like substance is conformable to the shape of the tissue site and hardens into the porous pad after being inserted into the tissue site.

A porous pad for providing a reduced pressure to a tissue site, comprising:

• a porous body having a pores of a first average diameter;
• an outer surface having an outer surface portion covering a portion of the porous body, the outer surface portion having pores of a second average diameter less than the first average diameter, wherein the outer surface portion is conformable to the shape of the tissue site;
• and
• a pathway formed within the porous body for communicating the reduced pressure to the tissue site when the porous pad is inserted onto the tissue site.