Wound dressing containing a partially dehydrated hydrogel

Abstract

The present invention provides a wound dressing in the form of a gauze or similar absorbent material having a partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material impregnated therein for absorbing wound exudate. The wound dressing is capable of absorbing large amounts of wound exudate without inhibiting the healing of the wound to which it is contacted and without the need for additional backing or adhesive layers. The wound dressing also has a pliable, soft structure which permits the dressing to be applied to wounds having irregular shapes and depths.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to wound dressings and, more particularly, to a wound dressing in the form of gauze or similar absorbent material having a hydrogel material impregnated therein for absorbing wound exudate.

Secreting skin wounds, such as decubitus ulcers and open surgical wounds, have long presented a medical challenge in keeping such wounds sterile and relatively dry. The accumulation of wound exudate, such as blood, pustulation, and other wound fluids, in wound crevices, promotes growth of bacteria and crusted organisms which cause infection and delay the healing process. Such wound exudate may also cause maceration of tissue adjacent the wound and support infection thereof. However, since it is often desirable to allow a wound to heal in a slightly "moist" or occlusive state, which is believed to accelerate healing, excess wound exudate must be removed. If excess wound exudate remains on a wound, a "blister" of exudate can form under the wound dressing which is not only unsightly, but also may cause the dressing to leak, thereby defeating the aim of sterility. However, existing methods of aspiration can lead to wound infection or can destroy sterility. Additionally, it is not desirable to remove all the exudate as that would result in a "dry" wound resulting in a slower healing process.

The art is replete with wound and/or surgical dressings for treating skin lesions, such as decubitus ulcers and open surgical wounds. For example, Mason, Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,048, disclose a hydrogel wound treatment composition which dries to a powder after it is introduced into an open, draining wound to absorb wound exudate. However, dry hydrogel deteriorates as the wound fluids are absorbed resulting in lumping and uneven application. Additionally, such deteriorated lumps are difficult to remove from a wound site without damaging new cell tissue at the wound site. Furthermore, the progress of wound healing cannot be determined without removing, at least partially, the wound dressing from the wound site.

Aqueous moisture absorbing materials, such as a hydrogel material with a polyethylene glycol liquid curing agent as disclosed in Spence, U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,232, are easier to remove from the wound site, but cannot be sterilized by irradiation due to the formation of free radicals within the aqueous material. Another aqueous absorbing material used to absorb wound exudate is an hydrophilic polymer as disclosed in Rawlings et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,006. Rawlings et al disclose a wound dressing which comprises a hydrophilic polymer having moisture and vapor permeability characteristics. However, a problem with the Rawlings et al wound dressing is that the wound exudate absorbed by the hydrophilic polymer hardens or solidifies the polymer, allowing pockets to develop between the polymer and the wound, thereby providing an excellent environment for bacteria proliferation.

In addition, wound dressings used in the past have not been conducive for healing extremely deep wounds and wounds having irregular shapes. To that end, wound dressings and surgical sponges formed from gauze and foam materials have been used for many years in surgical practice. These sponges and wound dressings have attempted to retain both the advantages of thin, soft and flexible single layer dressings and the absorptive cushioning and insulating properties of thicker pad-like structures. As a result, the sponges and wound dressings have traditionally been formed of multiple layers of thin, soft, low-count gauze material which are unified along fairly widely separated lines usually extending longitudinally or transversely.

Although such wound dressings and surgical sponges have been found useful in the past for absorbing large amounts of wound exudate, most all of these dressings, including gauze and sponges, adhere to the wound upon removal, thereby damaging the wounds to which they are attached. This in turn prolongs the healing of such wounds. It would therefore be desirable to have a wound dressing having a structure which is thin, pliable and soft, yet absorbs wound exudate in the same manner as the more thick pad-like wound dressings.

Cartmell et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,801, disclose a thin-film burn dressing containing an aqueous hydrogel material partially impregnated in a foam or nonwoven material which contacts the wound directly, thus preventing damage to the new tissue when the dressing is removed. However, such an aqueous hydrogel wound dressing contains a high percentage of water, and thus is not as readily absorbent as other wound dressings. In addition, due to the large water content of the aqueous hydrogel material, the burn dressing requires additional backing and adhesive layers to properly support the hydrogel material which leads to increased production costs.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a wound dressing capable of absorbing large amounts of wound exudate without inhibiting the healing of the wound to which it is contacted and without the need for additional support layers. There is also a need for a wound dressing which has a pliable, soft structure so as to permit the wound dressing to be readily applied to wounds having irregular shapes and depths.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a wound dressing in the form of gauze or similar absorbent material having a hydrogel material which has been partially or substantially dehydrated impregnated therein for absorbing wound exudate. The present wound dressing is capable of readily absorbing large amounts of wound exudate without requiring additional supporting layers or structure. The wound dressing does not adhere to the wound and is readily removed without inhibiting the healing of the wound to which it is contacted. In addition, the present wound dressing is soft and pliable, which permits the wound dressing to be readily applied to wounds having irregular shapes and depths. Further, in embodiments where the hydrogel still contains some amount of water, the wound dressing provides a cooling effect on the wound and surrounding areas of a patient's skin due to the evaporation of moisture from the hydrogel in use.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a wound dressing having an absorbent layer impregnated with a partially dehydrated hydrogel is provided. By partially dehydrated, it is meant that at least a portion, but not all, of the water has been removed from the hydrogel material. Thus, the partially dehydrated hydrogel wound dressing of the present invention contains less water than an aqueous hydrogel wound dressing and because of this can be impregnated into the absorbent layer and used with no additional supporting layers.

The flexible absorbent layer is designed so that it may be secured to a wound on a patient. Further, the partially dehydrated hydrogel material is impregnated in the absorbent layer such that the hydrogel material can absorb wound exudate upon contact with the wound. Preferably, the partially dehydrated hydrogel material contains from about 5% to about 55% by weight water, and more preferably from about 40% to about 45% by weight water.

Preferably, the absorbent layer has interstices within which the partially dehydrated hydrogel material is impregnated. The partially dehydrated hydrogel material is preferably completely impregnated in the interstices such that the hydrogel material is substantially exposed at the outer surface of the absorbent layer. In this way, the partially dehydrated hydrogel material is substantially in contact with the wound while contact of the absorbent layer thereto is minimized so as to preclude the absorbent layer from adhering to the wound. This is desirable since healing of the wound is inhibited when the absorbent layer sticks or otherwise adheres to the new cell tissue forming in the wound. This arrangement is also desirable in that the partially dehydrated hydrogel material provides a desirable cooling effect when the wound dressing is applied to a patient's skin due to evaporation of water from the hydrogel in use. It has also been found that the partially dehydrated hydrogel material adheres sufficiently to the absorbent layer and has sufficient structural integrity so as to eliminate the need for backing or adhesive layers to provide additional support for the hydrogel material.

The absorbent layer may be formed from a material selected from the group consisting of fabrics, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cellulose derivatives and combinations thereof. Preferably, the absorbent layer comprises a gauze material.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a wound dressing having an absorbent layer is provided in which the absorbent layer is impregnated with a substantially dehydrated hydrogel. By substantially dehydrated, it is meant that the hydrogel contains less than 5% by weight water. The substantially dehydrated hydrogel is preferably impregnated in the interstices of the absorbent layer as described above such that the hydrogel material is substantially exposed at the outer surface of the absorbent layer. Because the wound dressing contains little or no water, it can also be used without the use of any additional support layers.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a wound dressing comprising a flexible absorbent layer substantially in the form of a strip is provided. By forming the wound dressing in a strip, the absorbent layer is capable of being wrapped around a wound on a patient. The wound dressing also includes a partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material impregnated in the absorbent layer such that the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material can absorb wound exudate upon contact with the wound. The partially dehydrated hydrogel material contains from about 5% to about 55% by weight water, and more preferably, from about 40% to about 45% by weight water.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a self-adhesive bandage is provided. The bandage comprises a substrate having first and second sides wherein the first side contacts a patient and includes a pressure sensitive adhesive coated onto at least one portion of the first side. The bandage further includes a wound dressing secured to the first side for contacting a wound on the patient. Preferably, the wound dressing component in the bandage also comprises a flexible absorbent layer capable of being secured to a wound on a patient, and a partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material impregnated in the absorbent layer such that the hydrogel material can absorb wound exudate upon contact with the wound. Such a self-adhesive bandage provides a significant improvement over those used in the past since the wound dressing in the bandage does not stick or otherwise adhere to the wound so as to minimize destruction of the wound.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, a package for the wound dressing of the present invention is provided which includes sealed first and second sheets with the wound dressing therebetween. The first and second sheets of the package are made of any suitable material capable of maintaining the sterility and moisture content of the contents of the package such as metal foil, metal-coated polymer, or any film capable of retaining moisture within the package. The package may be opened by peeling apart the first and second sheets at a designated portion of the package where a free-lifting edge or corner is provided.

Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a wound dressing capable of readily absorbing large amounts of wound exudate without inhibiting the healing of the wound to which it is contacted and without the need for additional support layers. It is also a feature of the invention to provide a wound dressing which possesses a pliable, soft structure for application to wounds having irregular shapes and depths. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the wound dressing in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a process by which the wound dressing of the invention can be made;

FIG. 3 illustrates the wound dressing after it has been applied to a draining wound;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wound dressing depicted in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a self-adhesive bandage incorporating the wound dressing of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the wound dressing in the form of a roll dispenser which can be easily and quickly accessed when treating wounds; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sealed package containing the wound dressing and having a free-lifting edge for peeling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides a wound dressing in the form of an absorbent material having a partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material impregnated therein for absorbing wound exudate. The use of a partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material provides several advantages over previously used wound dressings. Because at least a portion of the water has been removed from the hydrogel material, the wound dressing more readily absorbs fluids from the wound than aqueous hydrogel wound dressings. For the embodiment using a partially dehydrated hydrogel material, the hydrogel still contains enough water such that a desired cooling effect results when the wound dressing contacts a patient's skin. The use of a partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel also provides the advantage that the hydrogel is sufficiently supported by the gauze or other absorbent material without the need for additional support layers, structure, or packaging materials.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention provides a wound dressing 10 typically in the form of a thin, pliable gauze-like structure suitable for use in the treatment of wounds on a patient. The wound dressing 10 comprises an absorbent layer 12 having a partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 impregnated therein for absorbing wound exudate. While those skilled in the art will appreciate the difficulty in illustrating the presence of the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 in the absorbent layer 12, it should be understood that the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 is preferably completely impregnated in the interstices of the absorbent layer 12. To that end, it is preferable for the absorbent layer 12 to be formed of any material capable of supporting the hydrogel material 14. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that materials having interstices within which materials may be impregnated are particularly suitable for such purposes. Further additional layers of absorbent material 12 may be used to form a dual or multi-ply construction.

The partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 must be able to adhere to the absorbent layer 12 so as to form a pliable, thin, gauze-like structure which, when contacted with a draining wound on a patient, absorbs large amounts of wound exudate without inhibiting the healing of such wound.

The wound dressing 10 can be removed from the wound to which it is contacted in a non-destructive manner in that the wound dressing 10 does not adhere to the new cell tissue forming in the healing wound. The wound dressing 10 also does not break apart into fragments or lumps, but rather, can be removed substantially as a single piece. Such features have not been present in past thin, flexible, gauze-type wound dressings. These features are largely attributed to the hydrogel material from which the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 is formed. These materials are discussed more fully below.

While the wound dressing 10 is substantially in the form of a strip in FIG. 1, those skilled in the art should understand that other configurations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, wound dressing 10 may be formed such that, upon hydration of the hydrogel material 14, the ultimate desired dimensions in terms of length, width and thickness of wound dressing 10 are achieved. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the initial dimensions of the wound dressing 10 can be tailored to the ultimate desired dimension of the wound dressing 10 in its hydrated form. it is also preferable to have the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 completely impregnated in the interstices of the absorbent layer 12 such that hydrogel material 14 is substantially exposed at the outer surface 16 of the wound dressing 10 so that the absorbent layer 12 is precluded from adhering to the patient's wound. For purposes of minimizing the damage caused by such adherence of the absorbent layer 12 in the unlikely event that it contacts the wound in which the wound dressing 10 is disposed, the absorbent layer 12 is preferably formed from a material selected from the group consisting of fabrics, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cellulose derivatives and combinations thereof. The preferred materials should also provide a sufficient support matrix for impregnation of the dehydrated hydrogel material 14 such that no additional support layers are needed. Gauze is the preferred material for use in the present invention.

For purposes of providing a more intuitive understanding of the wound dressing 10, a process 20, by which the wound dressing 10 can be made, is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. As seen in FIG. 2, the absorbent layer 12 is fed in sheet form under an applicator 18 capable of receiving and applying a liquid or uncured hydrogel material 19 without permitting it to cure within its components. The applicator applies the uncured hydrogel material 19 onto the absorbent layer 12 in an amount just sufficient to impregnate the interstices therein. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the amount of uncured hydrogel material 19 applied will vary with the particular material used as the absorbent layer 12 and the size of the sheet to be coated. It is preferable for a pair of release sheets 22 and 24 to encompass the absorbent layer 12 so as to provide protection for subsequent processing. Further, while we have described a process for impregnating a single absorbent layer 12 with hydrogel, it will be appreciated that two or more absorbent layers may be used to form a multi-ply construction.

A pair of rollers 26 and 28 cooperate with one another to compress the release sheets 22 and 24 together such that the uncured hydrogel material 19 spreads evenly on and into the absorbent layer 12. Preferably, the release sheets 22 and 24 are releasably secured to the absorbent layer 12 such that they may be removed prior to use or packaging. FIG. 2 illustrates the wound dressing 10 having the absorbent layer 12 impregnated with the uncured hydrogel material 19 which is sandwiched between the release sheets 22 and 24. The uncured hydrogel material 19 is then allowed to cure to form a hydrated hydrogel material 30 (FIG. 3). Thereafter, the wound dressing 10 is partially dried, oven-baked or otherwise partially dehydrated so as to evaporate a portion of the water contained in the hydrogel material 30. Typically, 50% by weight or more of the water initially in the hydrogel will be removed.

However, it should also be appreciated that the wound dressing may be dried or oven-baked so that all or almost all of the water contained in the hydrogel material 30 is evaporated. The resulting substantially dehydrated hydrogel material should contain less than 5% by weight water. While such a hydrogel material is capable of absorbing large amounts of wound exudate, the resulting wound dressing becomes somewhat stiffer due to the dryness of the hydrogel. For this reason, it is preferred that the hydrogel material is only partially dehydrated as described above so that it contains from about 5% to about 55% by weight water, and more preferably, from about 40% to about 45% by weight water.

Obviously, the release sheets 22 and 24 will be removed prior to whichever process is used. The result is a finished wound dressing 10 containing the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 capable of fulfilling the purposes and objects outlined herein.

Referring now collectively to FIGS. 3 and 4, the wound dressing 10, after having been contacted with a draining wound, is illustrated. FIG. 3 attempts to illustrate the expansion or swelling of the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14 upon acquisition of bodily fluids, such as wound exudate, from the wound to which the wound dressing 10 is secured. The expanded or hydrated hydrogel material is referred to herein by reference numeral 30. The wound dressing 10 is therefore analogous to a sponge in that its initial partially or substantially dehydrated version depicted in FIG. 1 expands as fluids are absorbed to form the wound dressing 10 containing the hydrogel material 30. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wound dressing 10 depicted in FIG. 3 and shows the hydrogel material 30 swelled in and around the absorbent layer 12.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the hydrogel material 30 depicted in FIG. 3 is the same as the cured hydrogel material 30 discussed with respect to the process 20 by which the wound dressing 10 is made. In essence, the hydrogel material 30 in process 20 is partially or substantially dehydrated, then absorbs in excess of its original hydrated state upon contact with a wound and is again referred to herein as the hydrogel material 30. In any event, the preferred hydrogel material 30 is formed by curing an aqueous mixture of polyhydric alcohol, an aliphatic diisocyanate terminated prepolymer, polyethylene oxide based diamine and sodium chloride. Such an aqueous hydrogel material is taught in commonly-assigned Cartmell et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,801, and contains approximately 61% water by weight when fully hydrated. Preferably, the polyhydric alcohol is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and glycerine. After curing the mixture, at least a portion of the water is removed from the resulting hydrogel as described above to form the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material.

The hydrogel material 30 in its partially or substantially dehydrated state, which is referred to herein as hydrogel material 14, provides a highly absorbent material capable of retaining large amounts of wound exudate, thereby rendering it very suitable for use in wound dressings. By forming the hydrogel material 14 from the aforementioned aqueous mixture and then removing water, the wound dressing 10 remains intact as it absorbs wound exudate from the wound.

Moreover, the hydrogel material 14 does not adhere or stick to the wound thereby allowing for easy removal of the wound dressing 10 substantially as a single piece. Additionally, the biocompatibility of the hydrogel material 14 within the wound is extremely favorable. Thus, the resulting hydrogel material 30, and therefore the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14, provides a bio-compatible, non-irritating, fluid absorbing, bacterial protective, cushioning, skin-like media over the wound site. An additional advantage of the hydrogel material is that it may be transparent, rendering it possible to inspect the wound site through the absorbent layer 12 without removing the wound dressing 10.

The preferred aliphatic diisocyanate terminated prepolymer is an isophoronediisocyanate terminated prepolymer based on polyols containing more than about 40% polyethylene oxide and having an isocyanate content of about 3% by weight. The molecular weight of the isophoronediisocyanate terminated prepolymer is preferably in a range from about 1500 to about 8000 and most preferably, from about 4000 to about 5000. The polyethylene oxide based polyamine is preferably a polyethylene oxide based diamine having a molecular weight in a range from about 200 to about 6000 and most preferably, about 2000. It is also preferable that the aliphatic diisocyanate terminated prepolymer and the polyethylene oxide based polyamine have a stoichiometric ratio of about 1:1. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all of the constituents with the preferred hydrogel material may be readily synthesized or purchased commercially neither of which is more preferred.

It has been found that a more preferred hydrogel material 30, and therefore the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material 14, is formed by curing an aqueous mixture including from about 0% to about 90% by weight polyhydric alcohol; from about 6% to about 60% by weight aliphatic diisocyanate terminated prepolymer; from about 4% to about 40% by weight polyethylene oxide based polyamine; up to about 2% by weight sodium chloride; and the balance water. A more preferred hydrogel composition for forming the hydrogel material 30 is formed from a mixture comprising from about 15% to about 30% by weight polypropylene glycol; from about 8% to about 14% by weight isophorone-diisocyanate terminated prepolymer; from about 5% to about 10% by weight polyethylene oxide based diamine; and up to about 1% by weight sodium chloride; and the balance water. Most preferably, the hydrogel material 30 is formed from a mixture comprising: (a) from about 16% to 17% by weight polypropylene glycol; (b) from about 10% to 12% by weight isophorone-diisocyanate terminated prepolymer; (c) from about 7% to 9% by weight polyethylene oxide based diamine; (d) about 0.5% to 1% by weight sodium chloride; and (e) the balance water. As described above, after curing the mixtures to form a hydrogel, at least a portion of the water is removed to form the partially or substantially dehydrated hydrogel material.

The aforementioned preferred hydrogel compositions provide a wound dressing 10 having the desired properties of excellent biocompatibility and absorption of exudate properties without adhering to the wound. However, other materials having such characteristics, including but not limited to the aforementioned hydrogel compositions, may be used to form the hydrogel material 30 in accordance with the present invention.

While the wound dressing 10 of the present invention may serve as an extremely viable wound dressing by itself, the wound dressing 10 may also be incorporated into other wound dressings in order to improve their performance. By way of example only, a few of such wound dressing embodiments are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 illustrates the use of the wound dressing 10 in a bandage 40 of the self-adhesive type. The self-adhesive bandage 40 comprises a substrate 42 having first and second sides 44 and 46, respectively, wherein the side 44 contacts a patient and includes a pressure sensitive adhesive coated onto at least one portion of side 44.

As seen in FIG. 5, the bandage 40 has pressure sensitive adhesive coated over all portions which ultimately contact the patient. The bandage 40 also includes the wound dressing 10 secured to the side 44 for contacting a wound on the patient. Preferably, the wound dressing 10 performs and is formed as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-4. In this way, the wound dressing 10 in the bandage 40 swells as it absorbs wound exudate from the wound to which it is attached. It should be understood that the bandage 40 may include additional materials other than that of which is described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Turning now to FIG. 6, the wound dressing 10 is illustrated in the form of a roll dispenser 50. The wound dressing 10 is formed as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-4 and then wrapped about a spool 52 or similar device such that the wound dressing 10 can be easily accessed. As a result, the roll dispenser 50 facilitates quick and easy access to the wound dressing 10 in that a user can cut a sufficient amount of the wound dressing 10 to treat a wound on a patient. It should now be apparent to those skilled in the art that the wound dressing 10 can be used in a wide variety of existing wound dressings as well as on its own.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a package 60 is provided for wound dressing 10. Package 60 includes peripherally sealed first and second sheets 62, 64 with wound packing 10 therebetween. First and second sheets 62, 64 may be made from any suitable material capable of maintaining the sterility and moisture content of the wound dressing 10 within the package. Examples of suitable sheet materials include metal foils, metal coated polymer sheets, polymers (including those which provide moisture and/or gas barrier properties).

Having described the invention in detail and by reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims. For example, the wound dressing 10 can be employed in other wound dressings beyond those of which are described herein.

Claims

1. A wound dressing comprising:

a flexible absorbent layer capable of being secured to a wound on a patient; and

a partially dehydrated hydrogel material comprising a hydrogel material in which at least a portion of the water has been removed therefrom, said partially dehydrated hydrogel impregnated in said absorbent layer and supported thereby such that there are no additional support layers for said hydrogel such that said hydrogel material can absorb wound exudate upon contact with said wound.

2. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material contains from about 5% to about 55% by weight water.

3. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material contains from about 40% to about 45% by weight water.

4. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said absorbent layer includes interstices, and said partially dehydrated hydrogel material is completely impregnated in said interstices such that said hydrogel material is substantially exposed at the outer surface of said absorbent layer.

5. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said absorbent layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of fabrics, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cellulose derivatives and combinations thereof.

6. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said absorbent layer comprises a gauze material.

7. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material is formed by curing an aqueous mixture comprising:

(a) from about 0% to about 90% by weight polyhydric alcohol;

(b) from about 6% to about 60% by weight aliphatic diisocyanate terminated prepolymer;

(c) from about 4% to about 40% by weight polyethylene oxide based polyamine;

(d) 0% to about 2% by weight sodium chloride; and

(e) the balance water,

to form a hydrogel and removing at least a portion of the water from said hydrogel.

8. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material is formed by curing an aqueous mixture comprising:

(a) from about 15% to about 30% by weight polyhydric alcohol;

(b) from about 8% to about 14% by weight isophoronediisocyanate terminated prepolymer;

(c) from about 5% to about 10% by weight polyethylene oxide based diamine;

(d) up to about 1% by weight sodium chloride; and

(e) the balance water,

to form a hydrogel material and removing at least a portion of the water from said hydrogel.

9. The wound dressing of claim 1 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material is formed by curing an aqueous mixture comprising:

(a) from about 16% to 17% by weight polypropylene glycol;

(b) from about 10% to 12% by weight isophoronediisocyanate terminated prepolymer;

(c) from about 7% to 9% by weight polyethylene oxide based diamine;

(d) about 0.5% to 1% by weight sodium chloride; and

(e) the balance water,

to form a hydrogel and removing at least a portion of the water from said hydrogel.

10. A wound dressing comprising:

a flexible absorbent layer substantially in the form of a strip such that said absorbent layer is capable of being wrapped around a wound on a patient; and

a partially dehydrated hydrogel comprising a hydrogel material in which at least a portion of the water has been removed therefrom, said partially dehydrated hydrogel being impregnated in said absorbent layer and supported thereby such that there are no additional support layers for said hydrogel such that said hydrogel material can absorb wound exudate upon contact with said wound.

11. The wound dressing of claim 10 wherein said hydrogel material contains from about 5 to about 55% by weight water.

12. The wound dressing of claim 10 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material contains from about 40% to about 45% by weight water.

13. The wound dressing of claim 10 wherein said absorbent layer includes interstices, and said partially dehydrated hydrogel material is completely impregnated in said interstices such that said hydrogel material is substantially exposed at the outer surface of said absorbent layer.

14. The wound dressing of claim 10 wherein said absorbent layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of fabrics, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cellulose derivatives and combinations thereof.

15. The wound dressing of claim 10 wherein said absorbent layer comprises a gauze material.

16. The wound dressing of claim 10 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material is formed by curing an aqueous mixture comprising:

(a) from about 0% to about 90% by weight polyhydric alcohol;

(b) from about 6% to about 60% by weight aliphatic diisocyanate terminated prepolymer;

(c) from about 4% to about 40% by weight polyethylene oxide based polyamine;

(d) 0% to about 2% by weight sodium chloride; and

(e) the balance water,

to form a hydrogel, and removing at least a portion of the water from said hydrogel.

17. The wound dressing of claim 10 wherein said partially dehydrated hydrogel material is formed by curing an aqueous mixture comprising:

(a) from about 15% to about 30% by weight polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and glycerine;

(b) from about 8% to about 14% by weight isophoronediisocyanate terminated prepolymer;

(c) from about 5% to about 10% by weight polyethylene oxide based diamine;

(d) up to about 1% by weight sodium chloride; and

(e) the balance water,

to form a hydrogel, and removing at least a portion of the water from said hydrogel.

18. A self-adhesive bandage comprising:

a substrate having first and second sides wherein said first side contacts a patient and includes a pressure sensitive adhesive coated onto at least one portion of said first side; and

a wound dressing secured to said first side for contacting a wound on said patient, said wound dressing comprising:

a flexible absorbent layer capable of being secured to a wound on a patient; and

a partially dehydrated hydrogel material comprising a hydrogel material in which at least a portion of the water has been removed therefrom, said hydrogel material impregnated in said absorbent layer such that said hydrogel material can absorb wound exudate upon contact with said wound.

19. A wound dressing comprising:

a flexible absorbent layer capable of being secured to a wound on a patient, said absorbent layer being formed from a material selected from the group consisting of fabrics, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cellulose derivatives and combinations thereof; and

a partially dehydrated hydrogel material containing from about 5% to about 55% by weight water, said hydrogel material being impregnated in said absorbent layer and supported thereby such that there are no additional support layers for said hydrogel such that said hydrogel material can absorb wound exudate upon contact with said wound, said dehydrated hydrogel material being formed by curing an aqueous mixture comprising:

(a) from about 0% to about 90% by weight polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and glycerine;

(b) from about 6% to about 60% by weight isophoronediisocyanate terminated prepolymer;

(c) from about 4% to about 40% by weight polyethylene oxide based diamine;

(d) 0% to about 2% by weight sodium chloride; and

(e) the balance water,

to form a hydrogel material and removing at least a portion of the water from said hydrogel.