GB2607900A

GB2607900A - Lymphatic-drainage dressing

Info

Publication number: GB2607900A
Application number: GB2108464.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: matthews Patrick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-06-14
Filing date: 2021-06-14
Publication date: 2022-12-21
Also published as: GB202108464D0

Abstract

A lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 is provided which comprises a dressing body 12 having a user contact surface 12, an absorbent pad 18 positioned on a same side of the lymphatic-drainage dressing as the user contact surface and a deliquescent composition 20 comprising a mixture of magnesium sulphate and sodium carbonate crystals in or on the dressing body and in fluid communication with the absorbent pad for drawing fluid from a dressing site of the lymphatic-drainage dressing on a user into the absorbent pad. The deliquescent composition may be provided in a removable pouch and may also comprise Chinese white flower liquid.

Description

Lymphatic-Drainage Dressing The present invention relates to a therapeutic dressing specifically but not necessarily exclusively for the purpose of draining lymphatic fluid through a user's skin. The invention further relates to a deliquescent composition suitable for use with such a lymphatic-5 drainage dressing.

The lymphatic network is part of the body's immune system, and acts to train waste products and toxins from the main organs of the body. Swelling can occur when fluid accumulates in lymph nodes in the body, where the lymphatic fluid does not correctly drain. This is common after surgery, trauma, or disease, for instance cancer or autoimmune disease.

Lymphatic drainage can be achieved via massage techniques and exercise. Manual lymphatic drainage, however, requires an experienced practitioner to assist, and more simple techniques which a user can apply to themselves are often less effective.

Lymphorrhea is the uncontrolled expulsion of lymph fluid through the skin, which can be 15 a particularly unpleasant experience for the sufferer, and is much more likely to occur where lymph fluid has built up and pressurised.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative means for lymphatic drainage which a user can apply to themselves without difficulty to reduce swelling.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a lymphatic-drainage dressing comprising: a dressing body having a user contact surface; an absorbent pad positioned on a same side of the lymphatic-drainage dressing as the user contact surface; and a deliquescent composition comprising a mixture of magnesium sulphate and sodium carbonate crystals in or on the dressing body and in fluid communication with the absorbent pad for drawing fluid from a dressing site of the lymphatic-drainage dressing on a user into the absorbent pad.

The provision of a layered lymphatic-drainage including a deliquescent composition behind an absorbent pad allows for a user-applicable dressing to be put onto the dressing site with ease. The user can therefore apply their own therapeutic action without needing to use a trained masseuse to relieve the lymphatic blockage.

Preferably, the dressing body may be at least in part adhesive.

It is preferred that the dressing be directly applicable onto the user's skin without needing a separate tape or dressing fastener. It is thus preferable to provide a dressing which is analogous to a plaster or band-aid.

Optionally, the dressing body may comprise a porous layer at or on the user contact 5 surface which holds the absorbent pad and/or deliquescent composition in place.

The porous later on the surface can act as a means of holding the absorbent page and deliquescent composition in place without inhibiting the absorbent capabilities of the dressing.

The dressing body may comprise a fluid-impermeable outer layer.

Not only does a fluid-impermeable layer make the dressing site waterproof, but also inhibits leakage of the lymphatic fluid from the dressing site once applied.

Preferably, the deliquescent composition may be provided in a pouch in the lymphatic-drainage dressing. The pouch may be formed from a permeable material.

A pouch containing the deliquescent composition can prevent damage to the outer layers 15 of the dressing from causing expulsion of the crystalline contents therefrom, reducing the likelihood of mess being created from the dressing on removal.

Optionally, the dressing body may be openable to permit removal of the pouch and/or absorbent pad.

An openable dressing may be readily reusable, allowing the deliquescent composition to 20 be regenerated and the absorbent pad replaced. This may result in a more environmentally friendly product.

The deliquescent composition may further comprise Chinese white flower liquid.

Additional composition materials can be used to improve the aromatic or therapeutic properties of the dressing.

Preferably, the absorbent pad may be placed behind the deliquescent composition with respect to the user contact surface.

The drawing of the lymphatic fluid into the absorbent pad will be much more effective with a suitable layer structure which also prevents contact of the deliquescent composition directly onto the user's skin.

The dressing body may have a length greater than 10cm, and/or may have an area 5 greater than 100cm' A large dressing body is suitable for direct application onto a lymph node site, being dimensioned to adequately draw fluid from a dressing site.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a deliquescent composition for use in a lymphatic-drainage dressing, the deliquescent composition 10 comprising a mixture of magnesium sulphate and sodium carbonate crystals.

A composition which is designed to provide a fluid drawing action at a lymphatic swelling site can be integrated with other dressing bodies to provide a similar therapeutic action.

The deliquescent composition may further comprise Chinese white flower liquid.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a therapeutic dressing comprising: a dressing body having a user contact surface; an absorbent pad positioned on the same side of the therapeutic dressing as the user contact surface; and a deliquescent composition in or on the dressing body and in fluid communication with the absorbent pad for drawing fluid from a dressing site of the therapeutic dressing on a user into the absorbent pad.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of one embodiment of a lymphatic-drainage dressing in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 shows a rear view of the lymphatic-drainage dressing of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a cross-section along line X-X of the lymphatic-drainage dressing shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of a patient wearing the lymphatic-drainage dressing of Figure 1 at a swelling site; and Figure 5 shows a further diagrammatic representation of a patient wearing the lymphatic-drainage dressing of Figure 1 at a swelling site.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is indicated a lymphatic-drainage dressing, referenced globally at 10, which suitable for application directly to the skin for absorbing 5 lymphatic fluid therefrom.

The lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 comprises a dressing body 12 having a user contact surface 14, which is the visible surface in Figure 1, and which is shown on the bottom side in the cross-section of Figure 3. In use, this side would be applied to the user.

The dressing body 12 is preferably formed so as to have a fluid-impermeable opposing 10 side 16, illustrates best in Figure 2, which not only inhibits leaking from the dressing body 12, but also makes the lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 waterproof The lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 comprises an absorbent pad 18 positioned on a same side of the dressing 10 as the user contact surface 14. The absorbent pad 18 is designed to absorb lymphatic fluid which exudes from the patient's skin.

A deliquescent composition 20 is provided which comprises a mixture of magnesium sulphate and sodium carbonate crystals 22 in or on the dressing body 12 and in fluid communication with the absorbent pad 18 for drawing fluid from a dressing site of the dressing 10 on a user into the absorbent pad 18. The deliquescent composition 20 may preferably be provided in a pouch 24 in the lymphatic-drainage dressing 10. The pouch 24 is preferably formed from a permeable material so that the deliquescent composition 20 can draw fluid into the absorbent pad 18 effectively. The deliquescent composition 20 may further include Chinese white flower liquid. Other suitable aromatic or therapeutic compounds may be provided as part of the deliquescent compound, to improve the aroma or healing properties thereof. Other compounds could provide additional benefits, such as antibacterial properties to prevent infection of the dressing site.

A porous layer 26 is shown as part of the dressing body 12 so as to be provided at or on the user contact surface 14 which holds the absorbent pad 18 and/or deliquescent composition 20 in place. The porous layer 26 may cover the entire area of the user 30 contact surface 14, or may be dimensioned so as to only cover the absorbent pad 18.

The absorbent pad 18 is provided proximate the user contact surface 14 with respect to the deliquescent composition 20. By providing such a layer structure, the lymphatic fluid is drawn from the skin by the deliquescent composition 20, and is absorbed by the absorbent pad 18 before reaching the deliquescent composition 20. This also has the additional benefit of avoiding contact between the user's skin at the dressing site and the deliquescent composition 20, which may be an irritant or sensitising compound.

The dressing body 12 is preferably at least in part adhesive. This may be provided as an adhesive perimeter 28 to the dressing body 12, avoiding the absorbent pad 18 so as not 10 to inhibit the absorbance.

In one preferred embodiment, the dressing body 12 is openable to permit removal of the pouch 24 and/or absorbent pad 18. Such an openable dressing body 12 may be sealable, for instance, via an adhesive or otherwise releasably engagable connector.

Whilst it is clear that a reusable lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 could readily be provided, for the most part, the dressing will be provided as a disposable dressing, similar to a plaster or band-aid, which is discarded following use.

The lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 is, however, larger than a traditional plaster or band-aid, since it is designed to be used at a lymphatic swelling, which would typically be found at a lymph node. This means that the dressing 10 is designed to be much larger in scale, having a length greater than 10cm and an area greater than 100cm2.

Figure 4 shows the lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 as applied to a patient's leg 30, which indicates the approximate dimensions of the lymphatic-drainage dressing 10. This is indicative of how the patient might be able to self-administer the lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 to themselves, since the lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 can be applied in the same manner as a sticking plaster.

Figure 5 shows the lymphatic-drainage dressing 10 as applied to a patient's wrist 32. The dressing 10 is dimensioned to be able to wrap around the wrist joint for security.

The deliquescent composition 20 is itself novel. The combination of both sodium carbonate crystals and magnesium sulphate crystals provides an improved therapeutic action when compared with sodium carbonate alone, and any additional compositions included, such as the Chinese white flower liquid will further improve the user experience.

The potential for a reusable and insertable composition into an openable dressing 10 means that the deliquescent composition 20 may be provided as a separate component 5 insertable into the dressing body 12.

Whilst a composition is disclosed having a combination of magnesium sulphate and sodium carbonate crystals, which has a superior therapeutic action compared with other possible deliquescent substances or combinations, it will be apparent that the dressing itself could be utilised in combination with other possible deliquescent compositions. For instance, sodium carbonate could be used in isolation, or magnesium sulphate could be used in isolation.

It Is therefore possible to provide a therapeutic dressing for the purpose of lymphatic drainage at a swollen site for a patient. The dressing is designed to be readily usable by the patient themselves, rather than requiring a specialist physician to be present.

The words 'comprises/comprising' and the words 'having/including' when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various 25 other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of the invention as defined herein.

Claims

Claims A lymphatic-drainage dressing comprising: a dressing body having a user contact surface; an absorbent pad positioned on a same side of the lymphatic-drainage dressing as the user contact surface; and a deliquescent composition comprising a mixture of magnesium sulphate and sodium carbonate crystals in or on the dressing body and in fluid communication with the absorbent pad for drawing fluid from a dressing site of the lymphatic-drainage dressing on a user into the absorbent pad.
2. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dressing body is at least in part adhesive.
3. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the 15 dressing body comprises a porous layer at or on the user contact surface which holds the absorbent pad and/or deliquescent composition in place.
4. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dressing body comprises a fluid-impermeable outer layer. 20
5. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deliquescent composition is provided in a pouch in the lymphatic-drainage dressing.
6. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pouch is formed from a permeable material.
7. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the dressing body is openable to permit removal of the pouch and/or absorbent pad. 30
8. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the deliquescent composition further comprises Chinese white flower liquid.
9. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, 35 wherein the absorbent pad is placed behind the deliquescent composition with respect to the user contact surface.
10. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dressing body has a length greater than 10cm.
11. A lymphatic-drainage dressing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dressing body has an area greater than 100cm2.
12. A deliquescent composition for use in a lymphatic-drainage dressing, the deliquescent composition comprising a mixture of magnesium sulphate and sodium 10 carbonate crystals.
13. A deliquescent composition as claimed in claim 12, further comprising Chinese white flower liquid.
14. A therapeutic dressing comprising: a dressing body haying a user contact surface; an absorbent pad positioned on the same side of the therapeutic dressing as the user contact surface; and a deliquescent composition in or on the dressing body and in fluid communication with the absorbent pad for drawing fluid from a dressing site of the therapeutic dressing on a user into the absorbent pad.