Inflatable expansible surgical pressure dressing

A dressing for application to a skin surface for promoting healing of lesions by the simultaneous selective regional application of compression and tension, comprising

• an elastically expansible closed pressure pouch of a size corresponding with that of a lesion to be dressed, said pouch being generally lens-shaped in form, and having upper and lower walls
• a sheet inelastic relative to said pressure pouch and having an upper and a lower surface, said pouch upper wall being secured to said sheet lower surface substantially centrally of said sheet and defining a sheet pressure region,
• said pouch lower wall providing a first layer of absorptive material and a second layer of watersoluble film carrying a medically active substance, said second layer being between said pouch and said first layer,
• said sheet extending laterally beyond said pouch in every direction to define a continuous peripheral sheet tension zone,
• an adhesive layer on said continuous peripheral sheet tension zone lower surface, defining a continuous dressing adhesive zone completely surrounding said pouch for adhering said dressing to the intact skin surface region surrounding said lesion and positioning said pouch adjacent said lesion, and
• pouch-inflating means for increasing the pressure within said pouch after said dressing adhesive zone has been secured to said intact skin surface,
• whereby expansion of said pouch moves said sheet pressure region away from said lesion and maintains said region in such position, thereby exerting tension on said continuous peripheral sheet tension zone, said tension being everywhere centripetally directed and being transmitted through said adhesive region to the intact skin surrounding said lesion, and
• whereby pressure of said expanded pouch against said inelastic sheet pressure region and against said lesion exerts compression generally over the entire surface of said lesion.

A dressing for application to a skin surface for promoting healing of lesions by the simultaneous selective regional application of compression and tension, comprising

• an elastically expansible closed pressue pouch of a size corresponding with that of a lesion to be dressed, said pouch being generally toroidal in form, and having upper and lower walls
• a sheet inelastic relative to said pressure pouch and having an upper and a lower surface, said pouch upper wall being secured to said sheet lower surface substantially centrally of said sheet and defining a sheet pressure region.
• said pouch lower wall providing a first layer of absorptive material and a second layer of water soluble film carrying a medically active substance, said second layer being between said pouch and said first layer,
• said sheet extending laterally beyond said pouch in every direction to define a continuous peripheral sheet tension zone,
• an adhesive layer on said continuous peripheral sheet tension zone lower surface, defining a continuous dressing adhesive zone completely surrounding said pouch for adhering said dressing to the intact skin surface region surrounding said lesion and positioning said pouch proximal to said lesion, and
• pouch-inflating means for increasing the pressure within said pouch after said dressing adhesive zone has been secured to said intact skin surface,
• whereby expansion of said pouch moves said sheet pressure region away from said lesion and maintains said region in such position, thereby exerting tension on said continuous peripheral sheet tension zone, said tension being everywhere centripetally directed and being transmitted through said adhesive region to the intact skin surrounding said lesion, and
• whereby pressure of said expanded pouch against said inelastic sheet pressure region and against said lesion exerts compression selectively on the marginal area of said lesion adjacent said intact skin.