Adhesive dressing

Abstract

To provide an adhesive dressing that allows a wearer to determine growth of bacteria, if any, as early as possible when the adhesive dressing is staying on the skin of the wearer for wound healing. The adhesive dressing includes a see-through backing made of a silicone material and four circular keepers provided on one surface of the backing. The keepers are impregnated with chemical compositions that change in color to the extent that the color change is visible to the naked eye when bacteria in a wound grow. The conditions to trigger the color change varies from composition to composition. An adhesive is applied along the periphery of the backing. When bacteria grow in the wound, the change in color of the chemical compositions impregnated in the keepers can be visually checked through the backing. This contributes to prompt and early treatment of infected wounds.

1 . An adhesive dressing designed to be placed over a wound, comprising: 
 a backing having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;    an adhesive layer provided on at least a part of the first surface of said backing to secure the adhesive dressing to the skin of a person or an animal with the first surface facing the skin; and    a chemical composition applied to the first surface of said backing, said chemical composition changing in color to the extent that the color change is visible to the naked eye through said backing when bacteria grow in the wound.    
   
   
       2 . An adhesive dressing designed to be placed over a wound, comprising: 
 a backing having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, said backing being made of an absorbent or water-permeable material;    an adhesive layer provided on the first surface of said backing to secure the adhesive dressing to the skin of a person or an animal with the first surface facing the skin; and    a chemical composition impregnated in said backing, said chemical composition changing in color to the extent that the color change is visible to the naked eye when bacteria grow in the wound.    
   
   
       3 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition is incorporated into said adhesive layer.  
   
   
       4 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising keeper provided on the first surface of said backing to keep said chemical composition, said chemical composition being impregnated in said keeper.  
   
   
       5 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition comprises two or more kinds of chemical compositions that change in color under different conditions.  
   
   
       6 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said chemical composition comprises two or more kinds of chemical compositions that change in color under different conditions.  
   
   
       7 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition is two or more kinds of chemical compositions that change in color under different conditions, the chemical compositions being incorporated into said adhesive layer at different locations.  
   
   
       8 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said chemical composition is two or more kinds of chemical compositions that change in color under different conditions, the chemical compositions being impregnated in said keeper at different locations.  
   
   
       9 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said chemical composition is two or more kinds of chemical compositions that change in color under different conditions, the chemical compositions being impregnated in said backing at different locations.  
   
   
       10 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said backing is made of a transparent or translucent material.  
   
   
       11 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said backing is made of a transparent or translucent material.  
   
   
       12 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said backing is water-impermeable.  
   
   
       13 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said backing is made of a resin.  
   
   
       14 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said backing is made of fabric.  
   
   
       15 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said backing is made of paper.  
   
   
       16 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition serves as a pH indicator that changes in color to the extent that the color change is visible to the naked eye when said chemical composition varies from neutral to acidic.  
   
   
       17 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said chemical composition serves as a pH indicator that changes in color to the extent that the color change is visible to the naked eye when said chemical composition varies from neutral to acidic.  
   
   
       18 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the pH indicator changes in color to the extent that the color change is identifiable to the naked eye between acidic and neutral pHs.  
   
   
       19 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the pH indicator changes in color to the extent that the color change is identifiable to the naked eye between acidic and neutral pHs.  
   
   
       20 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pH indicator includes at least one of the following: Indigo Carmine, Nile Blue, Methyl Red, Phenolphthalein, Congo Red, Bromcresol Green, Bromphenol Red, Bromthymol Blue, Cresol Red, Thymol Blue, Bromphenol Blue, Tetrabromphenol Red, Bromcresol Purple, Alizarin Yellow, Aniline Blue, Litmus, Andrade, and Neutral Red.  
   
   
       21 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the pH indicator includes at least one of the following: Indigo Carmine, Nile Blue, Methyl Red, Phenolphthalein, Congo Red, Bromcresol Green, Bromphenol Red, Bromthymol Blue, Cresol Red, Thymol Blue, Bromphenol Blue, Tetrabromphenol Red, Bromcresol Purple, Alizarin Yellow, Aniline Blue, Litmus, Andrade, and Neutral Red.  
   
   
       22 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition serves as a hydrogen sulfide indicator that changes in color to the extent that the color change is visible to the naked eye when said chemical composition reacts with hydrogen sulfide.  
   
   
       23 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said chemical composition serves as a hydrogen sulfide indicator that changes in color to the extent that the color change is visible to the naked eye when said chemical composition reacts with hydrogen sulfide.  
   
   
       24 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the hydrogen sulfide indicator is at least one of lead acetate and a ferric ion.  
   
   
       25 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the hydrogen sulfide indicator is at least one of lead acetate and a ferric ion.  
   
   
       26 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical composition comprises an auxiliary agent that is useful to cause said chemical composition to change in color.  
   
   
       27 . The adhesive dressing as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said chemical composition comprises an auxiliary agent that is useful to cause said chemical composition to change in color.