Reduced-Pressure, Linear-Wound Treatment Systems

Abstract

A system for treating a linear wound on a patient has a closing dressing bolster for placing on the patient's epidermis over the linear wound, a sealing subsystem for providing a seal over the closing dressing bolster and the patient, and a reduced-pressure subsystem for delivering reduced pressure to the sealing subsystem. The sealing subsystem and reduced pressure subsystem are operable to deliver reduced pressure to the closing dressing bolster. The closing dressing bolster is operable under reduced pressure to develop a inward closing. The closing dressing bolster may include one or more closing members on each side of a center wound area to create the inward closing when under reduced pressure. A compressive force may also be developed. Other systems and methods are presented.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A dressing assembly for treating a tissue site with a reduced pressure, comprising:
 a bolster body configured to receive the reduced pressure and to allow a visual inspection of at least a portion of the tissue site, the bolster body including:
 at least one biased portion configured to move from a first position when the reduced pressure is being received by the bolster body to a second position when the reduced pressure is removed from the bolster body, 
 wherein the at least one biased portion is configured to allow the visual inspection of the tissue site in the second position; and 
   a sealing member configured to form a seal over the bolster body.   
     
     
         2 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bolster body and the sealing member are configured to be positioned over the tissue site, wherein the at least one biased portion is configured to cover at least a portion of the tissue site in the first position and to move aside to allow the visual inspection of at least a portion of the tissue site in the second position. 
     
     
         3 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biased portion is configured to form a separation in the bolster body when the at least one biased portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue site includes a linear wound. 
     
     
         5 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue site includes an area wound. 
     
     
         6 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue site includes intact epidermis. 
     
     
         7 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bolster body comprises a mesh material. 
     
     
         8 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bolster body comprises a see-through material. 
     
     
         9 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bolster body comprises foam. 
     
     
         10 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing member is formed from a see-through material. 
     
     
         11 . The dressing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a window configured to allow the visual inspection of the tissue site in cooperation with the at least one biased portion from exterior to the bolster body when the at least one biased portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         12 . The dressing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one biased portion is moveable relative to the window and at least a portion of the tissue site. 
     
     
         13 . The dressing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one biased portion is configured to form at least a portion of the window when the at least one biased portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The dressing assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the window comprises a separation in the bolster body when the at least one biased portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         15 . The dressing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the window is formed on the sealing member. 
     
     
         16 . The dressing of  claim 11 , wherein the window is defined by both a separation in the bolster body and a see-through portion of the sealing member. 
     
     
         17 . The dressing of  claim 11 , wherein the window is defined by a separation in both the bolster body and the sealing member when the at least one biased portion is in the second position. 
     
     
         18 . The dressing of  claim 1 , wherein the bolster body further comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the at least one biased portion comprises one or both of the first portion and the second portion, and wherein one or both of the first portion and the second portion are biased away from one another when the reduced pressure is removed from the bolster body. 
     
     
         19 . The dressing of  claim 1 , wherein the bolster body further comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the at least one biased portion comprises one or both of the first portion and the second portion, and wherein one or both of the first portion and the second portion are biased away from one another in the second position when the reduced pressure is removed from the bolster body. 
     
     
         20 . The dressing of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biased portion comprises a first portion and a second portion of the bolster body, and wherein the first portion is separated from the second portion in the second position when the reduced pressure is removed from the bolster body. 
     
     
         21 . A method for visually inspecting a tissue site through the dressing assembly of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 positioning the bolster body over the tissue site;   forming a fluid seal around the bolster body with the sealing member;   fluidly coupling a reduced-pressure source to the bolster body;   moving the at least one biased portion to the first position by applying reduced pressure from the reduced-pressure source to the bolster body;   moving the at least one biased portion to the second position by removing the reduced pressure from the bolster body; and   visually inspecting at least a portion of the tissue site through a separation in the bolster body when the at least one biased portion is in the second position.   
     
     
         22 . A dressing assembly for treating a tissue site with a reduced pressure, comprising:
 a bolster body configured to receive the reduced pressure and to allow a visual inspection of at least a portion of the tissue site, the bolster body including:
 a first portion, 
 a second portion, and 
 a separation defined between the first portion and the second portion when the reduced pressure is removed from the bolster body; and 
   a sealing member configured to form a seal around the bolster body.   
     
     
         23 . The dressing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to overlap when the reduced pressure is received by the bolster body. 
     
     
         24 . The dressing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to cover at least a portion of the tissue site when the reduced pressure is received by the bolster body, and wherein when the reduced pressure is removed from the bolster body, the separation is configured to allow the visual inspection of the tissue site. 
     
     
         25 . The dressing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the bolster body comprises a mesh material. 
     
     
         26 . The dressing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the bolster body comprises a see-through material. 
     
     
         27 . The dressing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the bolster body comprises foam. 
     
     
         28 . The dressing assembly of  claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing member is formed from a see-through material.