Modular, reduced-pressure, wound-closure systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9549856-B2
Application number	US-201213467176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2012
Priority date	Oct 29, 2008
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A modular, reduced-pressure, wound-closure system for providing a closing force on a surface would includes a flexible strap operable to be formed into a closed loop inbound and around the surface wound and a plurality of modular closing members coupled to the flexible strap. A reduced-pressure source is fluidly coupled to the plurality of modular closing members. The modular closing members are operable to generate a closing force on the surface wound. A portion of the modular closing members are releasably attached to the patient's epidermis proximate the surface wound and another portion are attached to the flexible strap. A reduced pressure from the reduced-pressure source is delivered to each modular closing member to generate the closing force on the surface wound. Methods and other systems are presented.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of treating a wound, the method comprising:
placing a loop of closing members on a surface proximate to the wound, wherein the loop is placed within a perimeter of the wound, and wherein the closing members are spaced around the wound on the surface;
securing an end of each closing member to the surface; and
contracting the closing members with reduced pressure applied to contracting members sealed within each closing member such that each closing member provides a closing force on the wound.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface is an epidermis.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface is a sealing member applied to an epidermis proximate to the wound.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the loop of closing members on the surface comprises sizing the loop based on a circumference of the wound.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the loop of closing members on the surface comprises:
determining a number of closing members to be placed based on a size of the wound; and
sizing the loop based on the number of closing members.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the loop of closing members on the surface comprises:
determining a number of closing members to be placed based on a size of the wound;
coupling the determined number of the closing members to a spacing member;
sizing the spacing member; and
forming the loop from the spacing member with the determined number of the closing members.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the contracting members comprises a porous foam.

8. A method of treating a tissue site, the method comprising:
placing a non-adherent envelope containing a manifold member on abdominal contents;
sealing a wound in the epidermis with a sealing member;
placing a loop of closing members on a surface proximate to the wound in the epidermis, wherein the loop is placed within a perimeter of the wound, and wherein the closing members are spaced around the wound on the surface;
attaching an end of each closing member to the surface;
distributing reduced pressure to an abdominal cavity through the manifold member on the abdominal cavity;
contracting the closing members with a reduced pressure applied to contracting members sealed within each closing member such that each closing member provides a closing force on the wound.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
placing a second manifold member adjacent to the non-adherent envelope in the abdominal cavity; and
distributing the reduced pressure through the second manifold member.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
placing a second manifold member adjacent to the non-adherent envelope and proximate to subdermal tissue in the abdominal cavity; and
distributing the reduced pressure through the second manifold member.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the surface is the epidermis.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the surface is the sealing member.

Assignees

• Heaton Keith Patrick
• Coward Christopher Guy
• Hall Colin John
• Kci Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Heaton Keith Patrick
• Coward Christopher Guy
• Hall Colin John

Classifications

• A61M2210/1021

  Abdominal cavity · CPC title

• A61B2017/00646

  Type of implements · CPC title

• Y10T156/1304

  Means making hole or aperture in part to be laminated · CPC title

• Y10T156/1056

  Perforating lamina · CPC title

• Y10T29/49

  Method of mechanical manufacture · CPC title