Reduced-pressure dressings employing tissue-fixation elements

A reduced-pressure system for treating a tissue site, the system comprising:

• a distribution manifold comprising:
• a porous member comprising foam and having a plurality of flow channels for distributing reduced pressure and receiving fluids, the porous member having a first side and a second, tissue-facing side,
• a fluid-permeable substrate member having a first side and a second, tissue-facing side, wherein the second, tissue-facing side of the porous member faces the first side of the fluid-permeable substrate member, and wherein the second, tissue-facing side of the fluid-permeable substrate member has a surface area As, and
• a tissue-fixation element having a first side and a second, tissue-facing side, and wherein the first side of the tissue-fixation element is coupled to the second, tissue-facing side of the fluid-permeable substrate member, wherein the second, tissue-facing side of the tissue-fixation element has a surface area At, and wherein 0.05As<At<0.7As;
• a sealing member for disposing over the distribution manifold to create a sealed space containing the distribution manifold;
• a reduced-pressure source fluidly coupled to the sealed space for providing reduced pressure to the sealed space;
• and
• a liquid receptor fluidly coupled to distribution manifold for receiving fluids from the patient under the influence of reduced pressure from the reduced-pressure source, where the distribution manifold further comprises a plurality of malleable members for plastically deforming with the distribution manifold to accommodate a curved surface.