Low density medical bandage substrate, medical bandage, and medical bandaging product

A low density medical bandage, comprising:

• (a) a heat-treated substrate comprised of an elongate fabric having two opposed major faces connected by yarns extending between the faces, and two opposed, longitudinally-extending side edges defining a predetermined fabric thickness;
• (b) a plurality of longitudinally-extending voids formed in the fabric and communicating with both of the two opposed major faces for reducing the density of the substrate;
• and
• (c) a reactive system applied to and into the thickness of the substrate, the reactive system having a first state wherein the substrate remains in a flexible, conformable condition and a second state wherein the reactive system hardens, simultaneously hardening the substrate into a desired conformation;
• wherein one wale end is omitted from the fabric every 2-10 wales and stitches are omitted in the width direction of the substrate when viewed in the length direction of the substrate for reducing the density of the substrate;
• and
• wherein the major faces and longitudinally-extending side edges of the substrate are covered with a tubular cushioning material constructed of non-woven material adapted to pass water therethrough to the substrate, and the cushioning material and the substrate together form a unitary medical bandaging product;
• and
• wherein the longitudinally-extending side edges include one or more low modulus yarn selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene and polyproplyene.

A low density medical bandaging product, comprising:

• (a) a sleeve formed of moisture-impervious material and sealable to prevent entry of moisture;
• (b) a medical material positioned in the sleeve and sealed therein against entry of moisture until use, the medical material comprising:
• (i) a heat-treated substrate formed of an elongate fabric having two opposed major faces connected by yarns extending between the faces, and two opposed, longitudinally-extending side edges defining a predetermined fabric thickness, the longitudinally-extending side edges including one or more low modulus yarn selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene and polypropylene;
• (ii) a plurality of longitudinally-extending voids formed in the fabric and communicating with both of the two opposed major faces and stitches omitted in the width direction of the substrate when viewed in the length direction of the substrate for reducing the density of the substrate;
• (c) a reactive system impregnated into or coated onto the substrate, the system remaining stable when maintained in substantially moisture-free conditions and hardening upon exposure to sufficient moisture to form a rigid, self supporting structure;
• and
• (d) a soft, flexible protective material covering at least one of the major faces of the substrate along its length to provide a cushioning barrier between the substrate and the skin of a patient when the material is in use;
• wherein the fabric comprises a warp knitted fabric and the ingress channels are formed by wales omitted at intervals along the length of the substrate in one or more of a chain, inlay and center stitch of the fabric.