Swiss rolls hold the key to dressing deep, gaping wounds, says drug giant Johnson & Johnson (GB 2382989). A thin sheet of polyurethane foam is wound into a spiral log, like a Swiss roll cake, before the foam has a chance to cure and set. This makes adjacent turns bond lightly together, holding the roll intact.
The roll is later cut to match the depth of a wound and gently pushed down into the wound cavity. As the foam absorbs the fluid secreted by the damaged tissue, it expands to fill the wound. Antiseptics and other drugs can be spread…
