The invention relates to a device for treating wounds (100) on a human or animal using a vacuum. Said device comprises: a wound cover element (4), which when placed on the body of the patient createsa wound cavity (10) between the respective wound and the wound cover element; at least one connection point (5.1), which is in contact with the wound chamber (10); an absorption body (2), which is a cut textile section comprising interspersed super-absorbent particles and enclosed by a sleeve, the latter being permeable to liquid and having pores, whose size does not exceed that of the super-absorbent particles. The absorption body (2) that is to be placed in the wound cavity (10) has an initial volume that increases during the absorption process and reaches a final volume in such a way that the absorbed wound secretions, which are limited by the pore size of the sleeve, remain inside the absorption body and thus under the wound cover element, until the absorption body is removed from thewound cavity.