Absorbent interlabial device treated with polysiloxane emollient

• Main Authors: THOMAS J. KLOFTA, THOMAS W. OSBORN III
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.09.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

Absorbent devices, and more particularly absorbent devices that are worn interlabially by female wearers for catamenial purposes, incontinence protection, or both, that have a emollient composition on their body-contacting surface are disclosed. The interlabial device has a body-contacting surface that is pre-moistened or pre-treated with an emollient to prevent drying of the wearer's labial tissue and to reduce friction of the structure against the wearer's labial tissue. The absorbent device is preferably capable of maintaining contact with the inside surfaces of the wearer's labia majora when worn. The emollient composition comprises a plastic or fluid emollient such as mineral oil, petrolatum and/or polysiloxane, an immobilizing agent such as a fatty alcohol or wax to immobilize the emollient on the body-contacting surface of the device, and optionally a hydrophilic surfactant to improve wettability of the coated surface. Because the emollient is substantially immobilized on the surface of the absorbent device, less emollient is required to impart the desired therapeutic or protective emollient coating benefits.