Composite fibres, wound dressings incorporating such fibres and

Details Composite fibres, wound dressings incorporating such fibres and Composite fibres, wound dressings incorporating such fibres and

1998-12-21

2000-10-31

Weisberger, Richard

Fabric (woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.)

Scrim

Woven scrim

442304, 442308, 442310, 424443, 424445, 602 41, 604304, 428357, 2641761, 264211, A61L 1528, A61L 1560

Patent

active

061402575

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to composite fibres, particularly absorbent composite fibres for use in wound treatment, wound dressings incorporating such fibres and a method for making same.
Absorbent fibres for use in wound treatment are well known in the art. Examples include cellulose fibres, chemically modified cellulose fibres, pectin fibres, alginate fibres, chitosan fibres, hyaluronic acid fibres or other polysaccharide fibres or fibres derived from gums. In the treatment of wounds it is desirable to use fibres made from pectin or carboxymethyl cellulose but the known processes for making such fibres are complex and expensive and the resulting fibres not always viable. For instance it is known to make carboxymethyl cellulose fibres by chemically converting preformed cellulose fibres. It is also known that both pectin fibres and carboxymethyl cellulose fibres are difficult to spin.
It has been proposed in GB 2062652 A to make cellulose fibres comprising anionically modified polysaccharides by adding the polysaccharide to preformed viscose. Similarly in U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,558 there is described a method for making fibres of cellulose with alkali metal salts of alginic acid uniformly dispersed therein by adding a solution of sodium alginate to preformed viscose.
In WO 96/10106 there are described fibres which preferably comprise from 70 to 95% by weight of an alginate co-spun with from 5 to 30% by weight of at least one water soluble organic polymeric species (other than alginate).
We have now found that, it is possible to make a composite, absorbent fibre comprising a matrix of water insoluble alginate having another polysaccharide dispersed therein where the fibre comprises less than 50% by weight of the alginate, the fibre mitigating the disadvantages of the prior art fibres.
Accordingly the invention provides an absorbent, composite fibre comprising a matrix of at least 10% and less than 50% by weight of water insoluble alginate having dispersed therein at least 40% of another polysaccharide. Unless otherwise stated all percentages herein are by weight based on the weight of the fibre.
Whilst not wishing to be bound by theory it is believed that the water insoluble alginate effectively provides, as a matrix, a molecular backbone to the fibre that enables the other polysaccharides to be incorporated and results in a fibre that may be spun and otherwise processed. The use of water insoluble alginate for this purpose enables the fibres to be made without the need for complex and expensive processing and without the need to use preformed cellulose as a starting material. Preferred polysaccharides for addition to the alginate backbone are carboxymethyl cellulose and/or pectin.
Since it is believed that the fibres of the invention rely on the water insoluble alginate to provide integrity to the fibres it is truly surprising that it is possible to make viable fibres processable into products that comprise a minor proportion of insoluble alginate. One of the advantages of such fibres is that they may comprise a major proportion of polysaccharide other than alginate which generally makes them more absorbent than fibres which have insoluble alginates in a major proportion.
Preferably the fibres comprise, in addition to insoluble alginate, from 40% to 90% of another polysaccharide, more preferably from 60% to 85% and most preferably from 70% to 80% of another polysaccharide which is most preferably carboxymethyl cellulose or pectin or a mixture thereof. Polysaccharides suitable for use in fibres according the invention include carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, other derivatives of cellulose, cellulose, pectin, hyaluronic acid and chitosan. Preferably the insoluble alginate is calcium alginate.
Preferably the fibres comprise from 10% to less than 50% by weight of the fibre of insoluble alginate, more preferably 10% to 49%, more preferably 15% to 40% and most preferably from 20% to 30% by weight of the fibre of water insoluble alginate. Preferably the insoluble alginate is calcium alginate.
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