Wound closure product

• US 20060058842A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wound Care Technologies, Inc. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wound Care Technologies LLC (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoedeman, George M., Berkey, John J., Elliott, Daniel M., Anderson, Paul J., Wilke, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,455,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/213
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0466 Suture bridges
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/08 Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue suture bridges A61B17/0466; Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/085 with adhesive layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/081 Tissue approximator A61B2017/1103, A61B17/8866 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/086 having flexible threads, filaments, laces or wires, e.g. parallel threads, extending laterally from a strip, e.g. for tying to opposing threads extending from a similar strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1142 Purse-string sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/02 Devices for expanding tissue, e.g. skin tissue implements for holding wounds open, surgical tractors A61B17/02; implantable mammary prosthesis A61F2/12; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/916 specially adapted for deep wounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/94 with gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/962 having pumping means on the suction site, e.g. miniature pump on dressing or dressing capable of exerting suction

Abstract

A wound closure system and a method of closing a wound are disclosed. The wound closure system includes a plurality of skin anchors mechanically attached to external skin tissue around a periphery of a wound, a line extending between the skin anchors, the line slidably engaged with each skin anchor, and a biasing member that provides tension on the line to draw all of the skin anchors toward the wound. The method of closing a wound includes the steps of attaching a plurality of skin anchors to external skin around a periphery of a wound, extending a line between the skin anchors around substantially the entire periphery of the wound, and providing tension to the line to draw the skin anchors toward the wound.

Claims

1. A wound closure system comprising:

(a) a plurality of skin anchors mechanically attached to external skin tissue around a periphery of a wound; and

(b) a line extending between the skin anchors, the line extending around substantially the entire periphery of the wound;

(c) wherein application of tension to the line draws the skin anchors toward each other and the wound.

2. A wound closure system according to claim 1, wherein the line is inelastic.

3. A wound closure system according to claim 1, wherein tension is applied to the line with a biasing member.

4. A wound closure system according to claim 1, wherein the line is elastic.

5. A wound closure system according to claim 1, wherein each anchor is attached to skin tissue with a staple.

6. A wound closure system according to claim 1, wherein each anchor is attached to skin tissue with a skin-penetrating barb.

7. A wound closure system according to claim 6, wherein the skin-penetrating barb includes a flat bearing surface perpendicular to a direction of the application of tension.

8. A wound closure system according to claim 6, wherein the skin-penetrating barb is bent at an angle less than about 90 degrees from a skin surface plane.

9. A wound closure system according to claim 6, wherein the skin-penetrating barb includes a hollow body.

10. A wound closure system according to claim 6, wherein each skin anchor includes at least two skin-penetrating barbs.

11. A wound closure system according to claim 10, wherein each skin anchor includes at least four skin-penetrating barbs.

12. A wound closure system according to claim 1, wherein each skin anchor is attached to skin tissue with at least two staples.

13. A wound closure system according to claim 1, further comprising a negative pressure wound dressing apparatus for soaking up excess fluid within the wound.

14. A wound closure system according to claim 1, wherein the line is suture material.

15. A wound closure system comprising:

(a) a plurality of skin anchors mechanically attached to external skin tissue around a periphery of a wound;

(b) a line extending between the skin anchors, the line slidably engaged with each skin anchor; and

(c) a biasing member that provides tension on the line to draw all of the skin anchors toward each other and the wound.

16. A wound closure system according to claim 15, wherein the line is inelastic.

17. A wound closure system according to claim 15, wherein the line is elastic.

18. A wound closure system according to claim 15, wherein the biasing member includes a spring.

19. A wound closure system according to claim 18, wherein the spring is a constant-force spring.

20. A wound closure system according to claim 18, wherein the spring is a nonconstant-force spring.

21. A wound closure system according to claim 15, further comprising a housing that houses the biasing member.

22. A wound closure system according to claim 21, wherein the housing includes two pieces.

23. A wound closure system according to claim 15, wherein the biasing member can be operated to lessen the tension on the line.

28. A wound closure system according to claim 21, further comprising means for providing structural support to the line such that the housing can be placed at a remote location from the wound.

29. A wound closure system according to claim 21, wherein the housing comprises means for coupling the housing to a skin anchor such that the housing and the skin anchor move together when the skin anchor is drawn toward the wound.

24. A method of closing a wound, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching a plurality of skin anchors to external skin around a periphery of a wound;

(b) extending a line between the skin anchors around substantially the entire periphery of the wound; and

(c) providing tension to the line to draw the skin anchors toward each other and the wound.

25. The method of closing a wound according to claim 24, the method further comprising the step of soaking up excess fluid within the wound.

26. The method of closing a wound according to claim 24, the method further comprising the step of providing oxygen to the wound via the skin anchors.

27. A wound closure kit comprising:

(a) a plurality of skin anchors adapted for attachment to external skin tissue;

(b) a line adapted to be slidably engaged with each skin anchor; and

(c) a biasing member adapted to provide tension on the line.