Sutureless wound closure device
First Claim
1. A closure unit for effecting final closure of a surgical incision in a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
- an elongate alignment template having length and width and having two sets of paired slits therein arrayed in precisely aligned opposing relationship and spaced a first distance from one another along the length dimension of the template, anda plurality of closure components, each frictionally engaged by a respective pair of slits in said alignment template and each comprising a thin rectangular strip of body-compatible material having an elongated bottom wall and integral upstanding tabs at opposite ends of said bottom wall, wherein the underside of said bottom wall is pre-coated with an adhesive for adhering said closure components to a patient'"'"'s skin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for opening and closing an incision in which a plurality of opposed sets of aligned closure components are adhesively adhered to a patient'"'"'s skin, prior to making the incision, along opposite sides of the intended incision and spaced a first distance from one another transversely of the incision line. After the surgeon has made the incision and closed the wound in conventional fashion except for final closing of the epidermis, a bridge having a length shorter than the first distance anchored between the opposed closure components and spanning the incision draws the closure components toward each other so as to bring the skin at the edges of the wound into alignment and everting contact under a slight, but precise amount of tension which is maintained while the wound heals. The closure components and the bridge are all perforated and thus breathable, and the bridge material is transparent so as to permit healing of the incision to be monitored.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A closure unit for effecting final closure of a surgical incision in a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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an elongate alignment template having length and width and having two sets of paired slits therein arrayed in precisely aligned opposing relationship and spaced a first distance from one another along the length dimension of the template, and a plurality of closure components, each frictionally engaged by a respective pair of slits in said alignment template and each comprising a thin rectangular strip of body-compatible material having an elongated bottom wall and integral upstanding tabs at opposite ends of said bottom wall, wherein the underside of said bottom wall is pre-coated with an adhesive for adhering said closure components to a patient'"'"'s skin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15)
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10. System for effecting final closure of a surgical incision made along an incision line marked on a patient'"'"'s skin at the site of intended surgery, said system comprising:
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an alignment template having length and width dimensions and having two sets of paired slits frictionally holding two sets of adhesively-coated closure components in aligned opposing relationship and spaced a predetermined first distance from one another along the length dimension of said template, for positioning said closure components on opposite sides of said incision line for adherence to the patient'"'"'s skin, which template is adapted to be removed prior to making the incision, leaving said closure components adhesively secured to the patient'"'"'s skin in said aligned opposing relationship and spaced said first distance from one another transversely of said incision line; and for closing the incision following completion of the surgery, an elongate cover sheet adapted to span said incision line and having formed therein two sets of paired slots in aligned opposing relationship arrayed each to receive and engage a respective closure component of an opposed pair and spaced from one another along a length dimension of the cover sheet a second distance sufficiently shorter than said first distance as to bring said opposed closure components closer together and draw opposed edges of the incision into alignment and everting contact under slight, but precise tension. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for opening and closing a surgical incision, comprising the steps of:
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(1) marking an incision line on the body of a surgical patient along which the intended incision is to be made; (2) adhering to the patient'"'"'s skin along opposite sides of said incision line a plurality of adhesively coated closure components precisely aligned in opposing relationship and spaced a first distance from one another transversely of the incision line by aligned paired slits punched in an alignment template and spaced from one another by said first distance, each pair of slits frictionally holding a respective closure component; (3) prior to making an incision, removing said alignment template, leaving said plurality of closure components adhesively secured to the patient'"'"'s skin; (4) making an incision along the incision line through the patient'"'"'s skin and subcutaneous tissue layers and performing the surgical procedure; and (5) closing the incision by first suturing said subcutaneous tissue layers and then bridging the space between the opposing closure components adhered to the patient'"'"'s skin with a cover sheet having therein aligned paired slots arrayed each to receive and engage a respective closure component of an opposed pair and spaced from one another a second distance sufficiently shorter than said first distance as to draw opposed edges of the incision together in everting alignment under slight, but precise tension. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification