Vacuum assisted wound dressing

An apparatus for the application of topical negative pressure therapy to a wound site, the apparatus comprising:

• a wound covering element that provides a substantially airtight seal over the wound site, wherein the wound covering element comprises an aperture;
• a vacuum connection tube connectable to the wound covering element;
• a valve positioned at the aperture in the wound covering element, wherein the valve is configured to block all liquid transport beyond itself away from the wound site and allow air transport beyond itself away from the wound site;
• and
• wherein the wound covering element is a flexible element configured to be roughly level with surrounding skin.

An apparatus for the application of topical negative pressure therapy to a wound site, the apparatus comprising:

• a wound covering element configured to be positioned over a wound, wherein the wound covering element comprises an aperture;
• a vacuum connection tube configured to be connected to the wound covering element;
• and,
• a wound dressing portion configured to substantially prevent all wound exudate from being aspirated into the vacuum connection tube or out of the wound dressing portion, the wound dressing portion comprising an absorbent material configured to be placed over the wound and under the wound covering element, the absorbent material configured to retain wound exudate therein upon application of negative pressure;
• a liquid blocking material positioned at the aperture in the wound covering element, wherein the liquid blocking material is configured to substantially prevent all wound exudate from being aspirated into the vacuum connection tube;
• and
• wherein the wound covering element is a flexible element configured to be roughly level with surrounding skin.

A method for the application of topical negative pressure therapy to a wound site, the method comprising:

• positioning an absorbent material and a flexible wound covering over the wound site, the flexible wound covering being positioned over the absorbent material and the flexible wound covering being roughly level with surrounding skin;
• applying negative pressure to the wound site through a conduit connected to the wound covering and through an aperture in the wound covering, wherein a liquid blocking element is positioned in the aperture of the wound covering;
• retaining fluid from the wound site in the absorbent material;
• and
• preventing substantially all liquid from the wound site from entering the conduit with the liquid blocking element, wherein the liquid blocking element blocks substantially all liquid transport beyond itself away from the wound site.