A procedure is provided for producing a wound dressing having a crushed or uncrushed foam bonded to a woven, knit or nonwoven absorbent layer, particularly woven cotton gauze. The foam is self-bonded to the absorbent layer, i.e., no adhesive is needed to bond the foam. The foam may be applied by one of several methods. One procedure comprises applying a thin layer of foamed latex on a release medium. The dry foam, still on the release paper, is then simultaneously crushed and transfer bonded to the absorbent layer. A second method comprises applying the foam directly on the absorbent layer and crushing if desired. A third method comprises applying unfoamed material on the fabric and then causing foaming by the use of blowing agents then crushing if desired.

The invention is directed to an open celled polyurethane foam article, which initially is generally non-absorbent, the surface of which is subsequently rendered absorbent by decreasing the average pore cell size to a critical range while preferably also simultaneously or subsequently achieving a critical range of a wetting agent in such surface. This can be accomplished in either of two ways. The first method is to permanently collapse the cells in the surface region of the original foam so that the concentration of any residual wetting agents initially present in the structure increases in the compressed surface region, thus rendering said surface more readily absorbent. For a surgical dressing, the surface cells should be permanently but only partially collapsed to substantially less than the original size to form a microporous skin. According to the second method substantially all residual wetting agents which may be present in the original foam material are extracted from the polyurethane either before or after forming the microporous skin surface. Preferably, the extraction comes after formation of the skin so that a controlled amount of a desired wetting agent(s) can then be reapplied to the microporous surface for better controlling absorbency into the structure. As the invention relates primarily to surgical dressings, a critical range for the amount of wetting agent(s) and the average cell pore size in the collapsed surface have been found which are related to the wicking, absorbency rate, and non-adherence characteristics of the resulting structure. These characteristics in turn are directly related to critical and measurable differences in the rate of epithelization, wound healing performance and wound healing quality.

Hydrogel composites are provided having improved fluid absorption efficiencies which render them especially useful in disposable absorbent articles, such as diapers, catamenial devices and the like. The hydrogels are in particulate form, each particle or agglomerate of particles being substantially coated with fibers, a portion of which fibers extend from the particle. The fibers enhance the rate at which the hydrogel absorbs aqueous fluids and also serve to maintain the fluid in close proximity to the hydrogel. The extended fibers serve to anchor the hydrogel particle when it is contained in a fibrous or cellular matrix.

Method and therapeutic system in the form of a bandage for providing chemotherapy transdermally by administering certain drugs to unbroken skin in an initial priming dose that quickly brings the systemic concentration of drug to a therapeutic level, followed by a substantially constant dosage that holds said level. The bandage is a four-layer laminate of, from the top: a protective backing; a drug reservoir lamina that is the source of the constant dosage; a microporous membrane that controls the constant dosage rate; and an adhesive layer that is the source of the priming dose and the means by which the bandage is attached to the skin.

A gelled paste composition is provided for dressing of skin wounds. The dressing comprises: (i) a non-cross-linked, nonionic polyacrylamide or polymethacrylamide; (ii) a cross-linked salt of polyacrylic or polymethacrylic acid; and (iii) water. The components are present in the critical ratios of (i) to (ii) of from about 1:25 to 1:15; the ratio of (i) plus (ii) to (iii) being from about 10:1 to 1:3. Glycerine is also a desirable component and, when present, will be found in a ratio of water to glycerine ranging from 5:1 to 1:0.7.