Abstract: Medical dressings and medical dressing kits that can be used to provide a ported medical dressing for placement over a wound or other body site where controlled fluid access is desired. The controlled fluid access provided by the medical dressings may be useful to remove fluids from the wound (as in, e.g., negative or reduced pressure therapies), to provide one or more gases to a wound site, to provide one or more liquids to a wound site, and/or to provide one or more active agents to a wound site. To achieve controlled fluid access, the medical dressing and medical dressing kits may include a port body with a lower surface that is adhesively adhered to the skin at the periphery of a wound or other body site.

Abstract: Methods of sterilizing articles such as wound dressings, include the steps of providing an article that includes a polymer layer, applying an aqueous solution to the polymer layer and applying electron beam radiation to the article. The polymer layer includes a hydrophobic organic matrix that includes an elastomeric polymer and hydrophilic polymeric microparticles dispersed within the elastomeric polymer. Applying the aqueous solution to the polymer layer at least partially swells the hydrophilic microparticles of the polymer layer. In some articles the polymer layer includes an elastomeric polymer, hydrophilic polymeric microparticles dispersed within the elastomeric polymer, and hydrophilic polymer particles with greater than 10 micrometers average particle size dispersed within the hydrophobic organic matrix. These articles may be sterilized by applying either electron beam or gamma radiation.

Abstract: A silver composition comprising silver sulfate, methods of making antimicrobial articles, particularly packaged antimicrobial articles, methods of whitening antimicrobial articles, and packaged antimicrobial articles.

Abstract: A silver composition comprising silver sulfate, methods of making antimicrobial articles, particularly packaged antimicrobial articles, methods of whitening antimicrobial articles, and packaged antimicrobial articles.

Abstract: Antimicrobial electret material are described. In some embodiments, the materials comprise a unitary web comprising an antimicrobial surface treatment and having certain properties. In other embodiments, an antimicrobial electret material is described comprising an electret web comprising an antimicrobial surface treatment wherein the surface treatment comprises a sparingly soluble silver-containing compound, a photosensitive antimicrobial agent that forms reactive oxygen species, a biguanide compound, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An adhesive hydrogel dressing as well as methods of applying the dressing to a patient. The dressing generally comprises an adhesive hydrogel pad, a backing layer, and an adhesive layer on the backing layer facing the hydrogel pad. The adhesive layer and backing layer form a perimeter around the hydrogel pad and hold the hydrogel pad in place on an application surface. A release element is in contact with at least a portion of the edge of the hydrogel pad proximate the area that the hydrogel pad and release liner separate during liner removal.

Abstract: Provided are medical articles (e.g., wound dressings) that include a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and methods of making the medical articles using immiscible materials that increase moisture vapor transmission rates.

Abstract: Provided are methods of improving the moisture vapor transmission rate of a pressure sensitive adhesive layer in a medical article with a miscible composition, as well as medical articles including the improved pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

Abstract: A wound dressing comprising a dressing support layer configured to retain and deliver the wound dressing to a wound, the dressing support layer having a radial configuration that forms a plurality of alternating covered and uncovered portions of the backing layer along the perimeter of the wound dressing.

Abstract: Medical dressings and medical dressing kits that can be used to provide a ported medical dressing for placement over a wound or other body site where controlled fluid access is desired. The controlled fluid access provided by the medical dressings may be useful to remove fluids from the wound (as in, e.g., negative or reduced pressure therapies), to provide one or more gases to a wound site, to provide one or more liquids to a wound site, and/or to provide one or more active agents to a wound site. To achieve controlled fluid access, the medical dressing and medical dressing kits may include a port body with a lower surface that is adhesively adhered to the skin at the periphery of a wound or other body site.

Abstract: A wound dressing comprising an absorbent pad, an adhesive layer, and a backing layer is described, along with a dressing support layer having a tab positioned to overlap the absorbent pad for easy placement on a patient.

Abstract: A wound dressing comprising an absorbent pad, an adhesive layer, and a backing layer is described, along with a dressing support layer configured to retain and deliver the wound dressing to a wound, the dressing support layer having a radial configuration that forms a plurality of alternating covered and uncovered portions of the backing layer along the perimeter of the wound dressing.

Abstract: Antimicrobial articles and methods for the manufacture of such articles are provided.

Abstract: An adhesive hydrogel dressing as well as to methods of applying the dressing to a patient is described. The dressing generally comprises an adhesive hydrogel pad, a backing layer, and an adhesive layer on the backing layer facing the hydrogel pad. The adhesive layer and backing layer form a perimeter around the hydrogel pad and hold the hydrogel pad in place on an application surface. The adhesive hydrogel pad is formed with at least a portion of the perimeter of the hydrogel pad tapered proximate the area that the hydrogel pad and release liner separate during liner removal.

Abstract: A silver composition comprising silver sulfate, methods of making antimicrobial articles, particularly packaged antimicrobial articles, methods of whitening antimicrobial articles, and packaged antimicrobial articles.

Abstract: A wound dressing comprising a dressing support layer configured to retain and deliver the wound dressing to a wound, the dressing support layer having a radial configuration that forms a plurality of alternating covered and uncovered portions of the backing layer along the perimeter of the wound dressing.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus for the removal of organic substances and/or nitrogen sources from an aqueous medium by exposing the aqueous medium to the action of microorganisms supported on a gas permeable, water impermeable layer, or on and/or in a three dimensional microbial support layer, that is proximate a gas delivery layer through which gas, preferably, oxygen-containing gas, is supplied to the gas permeable layer such that it diffuses through the gas permeable layer and is supplied to the microorganisms.

Abstract: A process for evaporating a portion of a colloidal solution, said process including: a) passing a colloidal solution, said colloidal solution including particles in a liquid medium, wherein at least a portion of said liquid medium includes at least one volatile component, through one or more orifices into an evaporation zone that has at least one inner surface, wherein said colloidal solution does not substantially contact said at least one inner surface of said evaporation zone as said colloidal solution is passed through said evaporation zone; b) applying pressure in said evaporation zone that is lower than the vapor pressure of said colloidal solution as it is passed into said evaporation zone, allowing for flash evaporation of at least a portion of said at least one volatile component from said colloidal solution; c) adjusting the pressure in said evaporation zone to evaporate an amount of said at least one volatile component from said colloidal solution; and d) collecting the remaining colloidal solution