Cutaneous harness for sutureless wound closing

• US 5,843,123 A
• Filed: 09/06/1996
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Theratechnologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Theratechnologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Brazeau, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THUY D
• Application Number:
  US08/706,638
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 606/212-213, 606/215-218
• US Class Current: 606/213
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/085 with adhesive layer
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for closing cutaneous wounds without sutures, which comprises a pair of three-dimensionally flexible strips adopted to be positioned on each side of a wound and formed of a plurality of laterally spaced apart elongated anchoring members extending side-by-side in succession and transversely of the wound and being interconnected in a three-dimensionally flexible manner to follow the lips of an open wound. Each of the anchoring members has on the underside thereof an adhesive surface for adhesion directly of indirectly to the skin of a patient, and includes at an inner end thereof a thread receiving and retaining portion, whereby a thread can be engaged lace-wise through the anchoring members of both strips so as to draw the anchoring members of one strip towards the anchoring members of the other strip in such a way so as to close in a constant tensiometric way the open wound extending between the two strips with the lips of the wound being equidistant along the entire length thereof.

Claims

1. A device for closing a cutaneous wound comprising at least two three-dimensionally flexible strips for placement at opposite sides of the wound, each step comprising a plurality of anchor members disposed side-by-side, each anchor member comprising a tail portion and a head portion wherein adjacent anchor members of each strip are attached to one another by a three-dimensionally flexible connecting portion disposed intermediate distal ends of the tail portion and the head portion of the anchor members, wherein said tail portion has a larger end and a smaller end wherein the anchor members of each strip are capable of detachable securement to the skin of a patient along a side of the wound such that the head portions of each strip extend inwardly toward the wound, wherein each head portion includes an engagement means for permitting adjustable laced attachment with the head portion of the strip disposed on the opposite side of the wound without contacting the wound, wherein the strips are capable of being drawn toward each other, whereby the lips of the wound are drawn toward each other while the strips remain spaced apart.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said anchor members are dimensioned for exerting a substantially constant tensiometric pressure substantially along the entire length of the wound, the lips of the wound being substantially equidistant from one another.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein for a transversely curved wound said device must substantially follow the curved wound thereby requiring that said device be also transversely curved, whereby said anchor members of any strip to be located on the inside of the curved wound are of smaller width than opposite anchor members of any strip to be located on the outside of the curved wound.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said head and tail portions taper from said connecting portion respectively towards the distal ends of said anchor members, whereby said strip can be transversely curved on one side thereof up to a minimum inner radius wherein said inner elements abut each other, and on an opposite side thereof up to a minimum outer radius wherein said outer elements abut each other.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said anchor members are elongated and are adapted to extend substantially at right angles to the wound and in at least one plane substantially coplanar to at least one general plane of the skin adjacent to the wound, said anchor members comprising adhesive means on at least part of an underside thereof.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the head portion of each anchor member further comprises a thread receiving and retaining means.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said tail portion comprises an adhesive on a lower surface thereof.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein said tail portion defines a series of perforations.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein said thread receiving and retaining means comprises an adhesive on a lower surface thereof.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said anchor members each comprise thread receiving and retaining means adapted to maintain a thread, when said device is in an operative position, at a distance from the wound.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said lace receiving and retaining means comprise hook means at an end of said lace receiving and retaining means opposite another end thereof adapted to be in close proximity to the skin.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said hook means comprise a retaining member dependent at an inner end thereof from said lace receiving and retaining means and extending therefrom in a direction substantially opposite to the wound, said hook means also comprising a substantially U-shaped opening defined substantially around and under said retaining member and oriented substantially inwardly, ends of said opening being adjacent to said inner end of said retaining member and defining thereat inwardly facing notch means for retaining the lace means in said operative position.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein a vertical gap is defined between an outer end of said retaining member and a lower section of said lace receiving and retaining means for allowing the lace means to be inserted under the retaining member for subsequent displacement thereof towards said notch means.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising tape means for removable attachment to the skin adjacent each side of the wound, said strips being adapted to be secured to said tape means on a side thereof opposite the skin.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein there is provided further tape means for positioning at least partly over said strips for further securing said device to said tape means.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said members of both said strips are interconnected to each other by the thread in such a way that said device, in an operative position thereof, is three-dimensionally flexible, while retaining said strips and thus the lips of the wound substantially equidistant.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein each said anchor member defines a U-shaped opening including a retention recess at each inner end of said U-shaped opening, wherein said U-shaped opening is adapted to receive a thread and said retention recess is adapted to retain the thread so received in said anchor member.

18. The device according to claim 1 further comprising an attachment means disposed between the bottom surface of the tail portions and the skin of the patient for releasably securing respective strips around the wound.

19. The device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one ligature for mutually securing at least two head portions disposed on opposite sides of the wound.

20. The device according to claim 19 wherein the engagement means comprises means for supporting the ligature above the surface of the wound.

21. The device according to claim 1 wherein the head portions of the strips are tapered inwardly.

22. A device for closing a cutaneous wound comprising at least two three-dimensionally flexible strips for placement at opposite sides of the wound, each strip comprising a plurality of anchor members disposed side-by-side and each including a tail portion and a head portions said tail portion having a larger end and a smaller end each anchor member comprising engagement means, wherein adjacent anchor members of each strip are attached to one another by a three-dimensionally flexible connecting portion, wherein the anchor members of each strip are capable of detachable securement to the skin of a patient along a side of the wound, wherein a single lace means is provided for permitting adjustable laced attachment between engagement means on both sides of the wound without contacting the wound, wherein the strips are capable of being drawn toward each other by said lace means, whereby the lips of the wound are drawn toward each other while the strips remain spaced apart.

23. A device for closing a cutaneous wound comprising at least two three-dimensionally flexible strips for placement at opposite sides of the wound, each strip comprising a plurality of elongated anchor members disposed side-by-side, each anchor member comprising a tail portion and a head portion, said tail portion having a larger end and a smaller end, wherein adjacent anchor members of each strip are attached to one another by a three-dimensionally flexible connecting portion disposed intermediate distal ends of the tail portion and the head portion of the anchor members, wherein the anchor members of each strip are capable of detachable securement to the skin of a patient along a side of the wound, wherein said connecting portions permit adjacent head portions of a same strip to be distanced or brought closer together such that the head portions of each strip extend inwardly toward the wound with each anchor member extending substantially transversely to the wound, wherein each anchor member includes an engagement means for permitting adjustable laced attachment with the anchor member of the strip disposed on the opposite side of the wound without contacting the wound, wherein the strips are capable of being drawn toward each other, whereby the lips of the wound are drawn toward each other while the strips reman spaced apart.