Segmented skin treatment systems and methods

• US 8,395,011 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neodyne Biosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neodyne Biosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Zepeda, John A., Jackson, Jasper, Beasley, William R., Doud, Darren G., Follmer, Brett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Kim M
• Application Number:
  US13/315,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 606213-216, 602 5-542
• US Class Current: 602/58
• 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 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: A61F 13/00076 Packaging of adhesive dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00085 having means for facilitating the application on the skin, e.g. single hand handling facilities A61F13/0259 takes precedence; bandage applicators separate from the bandage or the packaging A61F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01038 Flexibility, stretchability or elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/023 wound covering film layers without a fluid retention layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0236 characterised by the application/handling support layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0243 characterised by the properties of the skin contacting layer, e.g. air-vapor permeability
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0246 characterised by the skin-adhering layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0253 characterized by the adhesive material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0256 characterized by the parametric properties of the adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0259 characterised by the release liner covering the skin adhering layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/0266 especially adapted for wound covering/occlusive dressings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/001 Packages or dispensers for bandages, cotton balls, drapes, dressings, gauze, gowns, sheets, sponges, swabsticks or towels A61F15/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/005 Bandage applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/26 Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives thereof A61L15/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/04 Polysiloxanes

Abstract

Devices, kits and methods described herein may be for wound healing, including the treatment, amelioration, or prevention of scars and/or keloids by applying and/or maintaining a predetermined strain in an elastic skin treatment device that is then affixed to the skin surface using skin adhesives to transfer a generally planar force from the bandage to the skin surface. Applicators are used to apply and/or maintain the strains, and some of the applicators are further configured to provide at least some mechanical advantage to the user when exerting loads onto the skin treatment device.

Claims

1. A system for treating a patient, comprising:

a dressing comprising an elastic layer, a first attachment zone and a second attachment zone; and

a tensioning member configured to tension the dressing in a tensioning direction and to separate from the elastic member, wherein the tensioning member comprises a segmented first structure configured to couple to the first attachment zone of the dressing and a second structure configured to attach to the second attachment zone of the dressing;

wherein the segmented first structure comprises a plurality of discrete segments and articulations therebetween.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the articulations permit a range of bending of the first structure and the plurality of discrete segments are more rigid than the articulations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each segment of the plurality of discrete segments comprises at least one inner border facing an inner border of an adjacent segment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each inner border is an inner edge.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the segmented first structure further comprises a gap between each segment of the plurality of discrete segments.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one inner border spans an entire maximum dimension of the segmented first structure.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one inner border comprises an orientation generally parallel to the tensioning direction of the tensioning member.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the articulations comprise bend members.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the bend members comprise flexible wires.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the bend members span gaps located between each segment of the plurality of discrete segments of the segmented first structure.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the articulations comprise hinges.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a joint between the segmented first structure and the second structure of the tensioning member, configured to permit the tensioning member to move between a first configuration and a second configuration to thereby strain the elastic layer of dressing.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the second structure is a segmented structure.

14. A system for treating a patient, comprising:

a dressing comprising an elastic layer, a first attachment zone, and a second attachment zone; and

a tensioning element, comprising;

a first structure releasably coupled to the first attachment zone of the dressing, the first structure comprising a plurality of relatively rigid segments and at least one relatively bendable portion forming a joint between at least two of the plurality of relatively rigid segments; and

a second structure releasably coupled to the second attachment zone of the dressing;

wherein the tensioning element has a first configuration wherein the dressing is relatively less strained and a second configuration wherein the dressing is relatively more strained.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first attachment zone of the dressing comprises a separate sheet of material coupled to the first structure of the tensioning element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second attachment zone of the dressing comprises a separate sheet of material coupled to the second structure of the tensioning element.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one relatively bendable portion comprises a relatively flexible material.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one relatively bendable portion is malleable.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one relatively bendable portion comprises a moveable joint.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the moveable joint comprises a hinge.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the first structure comprises a plurality of relatively rigid segments and a plurality of movable joints, each of the plurality of movable joints positioned between a rigid segment and an adjacent rigid segment wherein the plurality of moveable joints permit a range of bending of the tensioning element and the plurality of segments are configured to limit the range of bending of the tensioning element.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the tensioning element is configured to be shaped to generally match a portion of a subject'"'"'s body profile.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the tensioning element is configured to shape the dressing.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein each relatively rigid portion comprises a discrete inner border next to a discrete inner border of an adjacent relatively rigid portion.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the second structure comprises a plurality of second relatively rigid portions segments and at least one second relatively bendable portion forming a joint between at least two of the plurality of second relatively rigid segments.

26. The system of claim 14, further comprising a jointed member coupled to the first structure and the second structure of the tensioning element, and configured to permit the tensioning element to move between the first configuration and the second configuration to thereby strain the elastic layer of the dressing.