Sterile system for dressing vascular access site

A system for dressing a tubular access site in the skin of a patient penetrated by a tubular medical device, said system comprising:

• a container defining a sterile enclosure;
• a first sterile dressing component located within said sterile enclosure, said first sterile dressing component comprising an absorbent pad dimensioned to substantially cover the access site and adapted to absorb fluid from adjacent the access site, said absorbent pad having a first surface for being disposed adjacent the site and a second surface for being disposed facing away from the site, a barrier film disposed adjacent said second surface of said pad and adapted to limit entry of moisture and bacteria into the pad from the environment while providing a controlled rate of evaporation of fluids from said pad, a substantially non-adherent covering disposed adjacent said first surface of said pad to be placed against the skin to limit adherence of said pad to skin tissue or exudate adjacent the site, and a peel-away cover layer covering at least a portion of said adhesive surface of said web extending out from said pad to provide ready exposure of said adhesive surface of said web by peeling said cover away for attachment of said first dressing opponent to the skin about the access site;
• and
• a second sterile dressing opponent located within said sterile enclosure, said second sterile dressing component comprising an adhesive-backed breathable web having a peel-away cover layer releasably adhered to the adhesive surface of said web, said web of said second sterile dressing having a marginal edge with a notch provided therein dimensioned to engagingly receive the tubular medical device therein adjacent the access site.

A method of dressing a tubular access site adjacent the skin of a patient penetrated by a tubular medical device which comprises:

• providing a self-contained system for dressing the tubular access site, the system comprising a container defining a sterile, sealed enclosure therein containing a first sterile dressing component comprising an absorbent pad dimensioned to substantially cover the access site and adapted to absorb fluid from adjacent the access site, said absorbent pad having a first surface for being disposed adjacent the site and a second surface for being disposed facing away from the site, a barrier film disposed adjacent the second surface of the pad and adapted to limit entry of moisture and bacteria into the pad from the environment while providing a controlled rate of evaporation of fluids from the pad, a substantially non-adherent covering disposed adjacent the first surface of the pad to be placed against the skin to limit adherence of the pad to skin tissue and exudate adjacent the site, and a peel-away cover layer covering at least a portion of the adhesive surface of the web extending out from the pad to provide ready exposure of the adhesive surface of the web by peeling the cover away for attachment of the first dressing component to the skin about the access site;
• and a second sterile dressing component comprising an adhesive-backed breathable web having a peel-away cover layer releasably adhered to the adhesive surface of the web, the web of the second sterile dressing component having a marginal edge with an indentation dimensioned to engagingly receive the tube therein;
• opening the container to gain access to the first and second sterile dressing components within the enclosure;
• removing the first sterile dressing component from the enclosure;
• peeling away the peel-away cover layer from the first sterile dressing component to expose the adhesive surface of the web of the first sterile dressing component;
• adhesively securing the web of the first sterile dressing component to the skin of the patient with the pad pressingly engaged upon the tube at the site of penetration to substantially cover the site and the portion of the medical device penetrating the site with the adhesive surface of the web of the first dressing component generally sealingly encircling the site and pressingly engaging the portion of the tube leading from the penetration site against the skin so that the tube emerges from beneath a marginal edge of the web at a tube exit location and is engaged between the web of the first dressing component and the skin at the tube exit location;
• removing the second sterile dressing component from the enclosure;
• peeling away the peel-away cover from the second sterile dressing component and adhesively securing a section of a first portion of the web of the second dressing component to the skin of the user beneath the tube adjacent the tube exit location and securing an additional section of the first portion of the web of the second dressing component to the skin out along opposite directions from the tube exit location;
• and
• adhesively securing a second portion of the web of the second dressing component to the web of the first dressing component along a marginal edge of the web of the first dressing component adjacent the tube exit location to engage the tube between the web of the first dressing component and the web of the second dressing component so that undesired lateral and longitudinal movement of the tube is restricted.