Phototherapy bandage

Abstract

A phototherapy bandage capable of providing radiation to a localized area of a patient for accelerating would healing and pain relief, photodynamic therapy, and for aesthetic applications. The phototherapy bandage may include a flexible light source that is continuous across the bandage for providing a selected light, such as a visible light, a near-infrared light, or other light, having substantially similar intensity across the bandage. The bandage may also be flexible and capable of being attached to a patient without interfering with the patient's daily routine. The phototherapy bandage may easily conform to the curves of a patient and may come in a variety of exterior shapes and sizes.

1 . A phototherapeutic bandage, comprising: 
 a base formed from a flexible substrate;    a thin film flexible electroluminescent source coupled to the base and extending continuously across at least a portion of the base for emitting radiation to a target area on a patient; and    wherein the bandage is capable of conforming to a surface area of the target area.    
   
   
       2 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer having a first and second side, wherein the first side of the adhesive layer is attached to the base and the second side is for fastening said bandage to a target area on a patient.  
   
   
       3 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 1 , wherein said electroluminescent source is a single continuous film having an area which substantially covers the base and said continuous film area is adapted to emit substantially uniform radiation across the base.  
   
   
       4 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 1 , further comprising an optically transparent moisture barrier layer over the electroluminescent source.  
   
   
       5 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 1 , wherein said electroluminescent source is an inorganic electroluminescent source and comprises an electroluminescent layer positioned between two transparent insulators, wherein the two transparent insulators are positioned between two electrodes.  
   
   
       6 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 5 , wherein the two transparent insulators are selected from the group consisting of ZnS, SrS, ZnGa 2 O 4 , ZnSiO 4 , CaSSe, CaS, and silicon oxynitride.  
   
   
       7 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 5 , wherein the two transparent insulators are selected from the group consisting of ATO and barium tantalate.  
   
   
       8 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 5 , wherein the electroluminescent layer is selected from the group consisting of Mn, Cu, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Tm, Er, and Nd and as sulfides, halide compounds and complexes such as oxy-compounds.  
   
   
       9 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 5 , wherein the electroluminescent layer is selected from the group consisting of Ag in SrS, and Cu with Ag in SrS for a blue EL phosphor.  
   
   
       10 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 5 , wherein the two electrodes are selected from the group consisting of aluminum, indium tin oxide and nickel-cobalt spinel oxide.  
   
   
       11 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 5 , wherein the electroluminescent layer is pixilated and capable of producing radiation in a plurality of narrowband wavelengths.  
   
   
       12 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 5 , wherein said inorganic electroluminescent source comprises zinc sulfide doped with at least one lanthanide.  
   
   
       13 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 1 , wherein said electroluminescent source is an organic electroluminescent source and comprises an electroluminescent layer positioned between two electron injection layers, wherein the two electron injection layers are positioned between two electrodes.  
   
   
       14 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 1 , wherein said electroluminescent source is formed from a luminescent polymer and a metal containing compound, wherein the metal containing compound comprises a metal-ligand complex, wherein the adsorption spectrum of the metal-ligand complex at least partially overlaps with the emission spectrum of the luminescent polymer such that when the luminescent polymer becomes electronically excited, energy is transformed from the luminescent polymer to the metal-ligand complex, wherein at least a portion of the energy transferred from the luminescent polymer to the metal-ligand complex is emitted by the metal-ligand complex as near-infrared radiation.  
   
   
       15 . A phototherapeutic bandage, comprising: 
 a base formed from a flexible substrate;    an adhesive layer having a first and second side, wherein the first side of the adhesive layer is attached to the base and the second side is for fastening said bandage to a target area on a patient;    a single, continuous, thin film, flexible electroluminescent source coupled to the base and extending continuously across at least a portion of the base for emitting radiation to the target area on a patient;    wherein the bandage is capable of conforming to a surface area of a body to be treated; and    wherein the electroluminescent source is capable of producing near-infrared light.    
   
   
       16 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 15 , further comprising an optically transparent moisture barrier layer over the electroluminescent source.  
   
   
       17 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 15 , wherein said electroluminescent source is an inorganic electroluminescent source and comprises an electroluminescent layer positioned between two transparent insulators, wherein the two transparent insulators are positioned between two electrodes.  
   
   
       18 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 17 , wherein the electroluminescent layer is selected from the group consisting of ZnS, SrS, ZnGa 2 O 4 , ZnSiO 4 , CaSSe, and CaS.  
   
   
       19 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 15 , wherein said electroluminescent source is an organic electroluminescent source and comprises an electroluminescent layer positioned between two electron injection layers, wherein the two electron injection layers are positioned between two electrodes.  
   
   
       20 . The phototherapeutic bandage of  claim 15 , wherein said electroluminescent source is formed from a luminescent polymer and a metal containing compound, wherein the metal containing compound comprises a metal-ligand complex, wherein the adsorption spectrum of the metal-ligand complex at least partially overlaps with the emission spectrum of the luminescent polymer such that when the luminescent polymer becomes electronically excited, energy is transformed from the luminescent polymer to the metal-ligand complex, wherein at least a portion of the energy transferred from the luminescent polymer to the metal-ligand complex is emitted by the metal-ligand complex as near-infrared radiation.