Calendered hydrocolloid dressing

Abstract

A calendered hydrocolloid dressing for the wound care and a one step method of manufacturing the hydrocolloidal dressing are described. In particular, the invention is concerned with a hydrocolloid dressing which is absorbent, non-damaging to the skin and comfortable to the user preferably having at least a thermoplastic elastomer backing and water absorbent polymeric adhesive layer.

1 . A method of manufacturing a calendered hydrocolloid dressing comprising the steps of: 
 blending a backing film composition;    extruding the backing film composition;    calendering the backing film composition between a top roll and a center roll to form a backing film layer;    blending an adhesive composition; and    calendering the adhesive composition between the center roll and a lower roll to form a hydrocolloid dressing comprising a backing film layer and an adhesive layer in a single manufacturing step.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adhering a release liner layer to a lower surface area of the hydrocolloid dressing.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said backing film composition is comprised of a thermoplastic elastomer.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is an ethylene based copolymer.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said ethylene based copolymer is one or a combination of any of an ethylene acrylic acrylate, ethylene butyl acrylate, ethylene ethyl acrylate or ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backing film layer is comprised of about 100% by weight copolymer, wherein the copolymer is about 21% by weight comonomer.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein material comprising the backing film layer further includes low density polyethylene homopolymer.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein material comprising the backing film layer further includes additives.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the additives are selected from the group of antioxidants, stabilizers and processing aids.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the backing film layer is comprised of about 65% to about 100% by weight ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer, from about 0 to about 35% by weight low density polyethylene, about 0.05 to about 2% by weight of any one of or combinations of any of antioxidants, processing aids or stabilizers.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein material comprising the adhesive layer includes at least a polymer and a hydrocolloid.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the polymer is a pressure sensitive adhesive.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises at least one rubber.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the rubber is any one of or a combination of any one of styrene-isoprene-styrene copolymers, styrene-ethylene-styrene copolymers styrene-butylene-styrene copolymers, butyl rubber and polyisobutylene.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises at least one additive.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the additive is any one or a combination of any of tackifiers, stabilizers, plasticizers, processing aids or therapeutic agents.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises about 15% to about 40% by weight polymer, about 10% to about 50% by weight hydrocolloid, and about 10 to about 75% of by weight additives.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises about 58% by weight polyisobutylene, about 12% by weight butyl rubber, about 7% by weight plasticizer and 23% by weight hydrocolloid.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer, backing film layer, or adhesive and backing film layer are substantially transparent or clear.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer, backing film layer, or adhesive and backing film layer are substantially flesh colored.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is about 5 to about 50 mils and wherein the backing film layer is about 0.5 to about 10 mils.  
   
   
       22 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing comprising at least a backing film layer and an adhesive layer, wherein the material comprising the backing film layer includes at least a thermoplastic elastomer and wherein said backing film layer and adhesive layer are calendered together simultaneously to provide said calendered hydrocolloid dressing by a single manufacturing step.  
   
   
       23 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is an ethylene based copolymer.  
   
   
       24 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the ethylene based copolymer is one or a combination of any of an ethylene acrylic acrylate, ethylene butyl acrylate, ethylene ethyl acrylate or ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer.  
   
   
       25 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the backing film layer is comprised of about 100% by weight copolymer, wherein the copolymer is about 21% by weight comonomer.  
   
   
       26 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the material comprising the backing film layer further includes low density polyethylene homopolymer.  
   
   
       27 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the material comprising the backing film layer further includes additives.  
   
   
       28 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 27 , wherein the additives are selected from the group of antioxidants, stabilizers and processing aids.  
   
   
       29 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the backing film is comprised of about 65% to about 100% by weight ethylene methyl acrylate copolymer, from about 0 to about 35% by weight low density polyethylene, about 0.05 to about 2% by weight of any one of or combinations of any of antioxidants, processing aids or stabilizers.  
   
   
       30 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the material comprising the adhesive layer includes at least a polymer and a hydrocolloid.  
   
   
       31 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 30 , wherein the polymer is a pressure sensitive adhesive.  
   
   
       32 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 31 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises at least one rubber.  
   
   
       33 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 32 , wherein the rubber is any one of or a combination of any one of styrene-isoprene-styrene copolymers, styrene-ethylene-styrene copolymers styrene-butylene-styrene copolymers, butyl rubber and polyisobutylene.  
   
   
       34 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 30 , further comprising at least one additive.  
   
   
       35 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 34 , wherein the additive is any one or a combination of any of tackifiers, stabilizers, plastifiers, processing aids or therapeutic agents.  
   
   
       36 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 30 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises about 15% to about 40% by weight polymer, about 10% to about 50% by weight hydrocolloid, and about 10 to about 75% of by weight additives.  
   
   
       37 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 30 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises about 58% by weight polyisobutylene, about 12% by weight butyl rubber, about 7% by weight plasticizer and 23% by weight hydrocolloid.  
   
   
       38 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , further comprising a release liner adhered to an adhesive layer lower surface area.  
   
   
       39 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the adhesive layer, backing film layer, or adhesive and backing film layer are substantially transparent or clear.  
   
   
       40 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the adhesive layer, backing film layer, or adhesive and backing film layer are substantially flesh colored.  
   
   
       41 . A calendered hydrocolloid dressing of  claim 22 , wherein the adhesive layer is about 5 to about 50 mils and wherein the backing film layer is about 0.5 to about 10 mils.