METHODS FOR APPLYING A SKIN GRAFT

• US 20120035619A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MoMelan Technologies, Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Sabir, Sameer Ahmed, Tolkoff, M. Josh, Ziegler, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,597,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/322 Skin grafting apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/308 with suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3225 with processing of harvested tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/00 Drugs for dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/02 for treating wounds, ulcers, burns, scars, keloids, or the like

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to methods for applying a skin graft. Methods of the invention involve harvesting an epidermal skin graft, and applying the epidermal skin graft to a recipient site such that the basal layer of the skin graft makes direct contact with the recipient site.

Claims

1. A method for applying a skin graft, the method comprising the steps of:

harvesting an epidermal skin graft; and

applying said epidermal skin graft to a recipient site such that the basal layer of said skin graft makes direct contact with said recipient site.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein harvesting comprises:

raising a blister; and

cutting the suction blister.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to said applying step, the method further comprises:

generating a plurality of micrografts;

applying the graft to a first substrate; and

stretching the first substrate.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising transferring said grafts from said first substrate to a second substrate.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and/or second substrates are medical dressings.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and second substrates are the same material.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and second substrates are different materials.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the grafts are autografts.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient site is an area of depigmented skin that has been prepared to receive the skin graft.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the skin graft is selected from the group consisting of:

an epidermal skin graft, a split thickness graft, and a full thickness graft.

11. A method for skin grafting, the method comprising the steps of:

harvesting a skin graft from a donor site;

placing said skin graft on a first substrate such that basal cells of said graft make direct contact with said first substrate;

transferring said graft from said first substrate to a second substrate such that said basal cells do not directly contact said second substrate; and

applying said second substrate to a recipient site.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising wetting said first substrate to facilitate release of said graft.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second substrate comprises greater adhesive strength for the graft than the first substrate, thereby facilitating transfer of the graft from the first substrate to the second substrate.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein harvesting comprises:

raising a blister; and

cutting the suction blister.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein prior to said transferring step, the method further comprises:

generating a plurality of micrografts; and

stretching the first substrate.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and/or second substrates are medical dressings.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and second substrates are the same material.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and second substrates are different materials.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the graft is an autograft.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the recipient site is an area of depigmented skin that has been prepared to receive the skin graft.

21. The method according to claim 11, wherein the skin graft is selected from the group consisting of:

an epidermal skin graft, a split thickness graft, and a full thickness graft.