3m Innovative Properties Company

Solventum Intellectual Properties Company

Michael R Plumb

Christine A Binsfeld

Doyle T Potter

Donald George Peterson

Kurt J Halverson

Raymond J Kenney

Graham M Clarke

Michael D Determan

Kiu-Yuen Tse

Brent R Hansen

Randy S Bay

Jennifer N Hanson

Matthew H Fryxell

Anila Prabhu

Joseph M Hommes

Audrey A Sherman

Guido Hitschmann

Krystal J Scheibel

Silvia G B Guttmann

Dawn V Muyres

Anne C F Gold

Todd M Fruchterman

Alex S Plasencia

Thomas R J Corrigan

Zachary M Ingram

Medical dressings including stiffening systems fixedly attached to backing layers are described herein along with methods of using the medical dressings. The stiffening system is fixedly secured to the backing to limit flexing and stretching of the backing layer. Typically, the medical dressing and stiffening system is applied over a medical device that is secured to skin. The stiffening system covers some of the medical device and also extends beyond the medical device. The stiffening system stabilizes the medical device over the skin.

Medical dressings with stiffening systems

Film articles with dual-sided structures are ones in which both of the major surfaces of the film have a structured surface. The structured film articles have a first major surface and second major surface, where each surface has a plurality of spaced apart protrusions forming a repeating pattern. Each repeating pattern has a major axis, where the major axis is one of the major axes in the translational direction of the repeating pattern. The major axis of the repeating pattern on the second major surface forms an oblique angle with the major axis on the first major surface, where the angle is in the range of 10-90% of the angle of rotational symmetry of the repeating pattern. The structured film is a unitary substrate. The structured film articles are prepared by providing a flowable material composition having two major surfaces and simultaneously contacting the major surfaces with a first microstructuring tool, and a second microstructuring tool. Each microstructuring tool has a structured surface including a pattern of a plurality of depressions.

Dual-sided structured film articles

The disclosed medical dressing has a dressing body and a flap. The dressing body has a first major surface and opposite second major surface containing a skin-contact adhesive. The flap has a fixed end integrally connected to the dressing body and a movable free end. The second major surface of the flap has a securing adhesive for contact with the first major surface of the dressing body.

Medical dressing comprising a flap

A medical dressing () with a dressing body () and a flap (). The flap can include a fixed end () coupled to the dressing body, and a free end () movable with respect to the dressing body between a first position and a second position in which the free end is positioned in overlapping relationship with the dressing body. A second major surface () of at least the free end of the flap can be configured to be secured to the dressing body, and the flap can be located toward a proximal end of the dressing body, such that a distal portion of the dressing body is free of the flap. The dressing body can be adhered to skin with a skin-contact adhesive (e.g., a silicone adhesive) (), and the flap can be secured to the dressing body with a securing adhesive (e.g. an acrylate adhesive) () that can have a higher adhesion or adhesive strength.

The invention is directed to counting techniques for counting biological agents on a biological growth plate or similar medium. In order to automate the counting of biological agents, a biological growth plate is inserted into a biological scanning unit. Upon insertion of the biological growth plate, the biological scanning unit generates an image of the plate. Then, the amount of biological agents that appear in the image, such as a number of bacteria colonies, can be counted or otherwise determined using image processing and analysis routines performed either by the scanning unit or an external computing device, such as a desktop computer, workstation or the like. A variety of counting rules are described herein that can be used to improve the accuracy of automated counts of biological agents on a biological growth plate.

Counting biological agents on biological growth plates

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White Bear Lake, MN, United States of America

Michael R Plumb