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Publication Number
US-10327774-B2
Publication Date
2019-06-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
Medical devices disclosed herein include pre-defined structures for dispensing forces onto a tissue plane in a living organism and are utilized to adjust spatial relationships, orientations, and mechanical forces in a patient treatment area. The treatment area may be a wound, an incision, or a surgically accessed area within a patient that includes oppositely disposed sections that heal more efficiently and with less scarring when force vectors of a particular magnitude and direction are applied to the treatment area. The medical device provides a structure that may be pre-stressed through planned deformation that develops desirable spatial and mechanical relationships along the tissue plane for alignment, compression, advancement, eversion, inversion, distraction, rotation, angulation, and the control or modulation of tension across the treatment area.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a tissue bridge for directing forces onto a tissue plane. The tissue bridge comprises a central section extending over an area and having first and second sides, and is elastically biased toward an at-rest state in which a predefined at-rest separation distance is defined between the first and second sides.
The tissue bridge is deformable so that a distortion-induced separation distance is defined between the first and second sides while the tissue bridge is in a deformed state, and the distortion-induced separation distance is greater than the at-rest separation distance. Application of a distorting force, application of the tissue bridge in the deformed state to the tissue plane, and release of the distorting force support force direction and cause lateral sections to rotate with respect to the central section to apply forces to the tissue plane.
A first lateral section and a second lateral section are provided, each having opposite upper and lower faces and opposite inner and outer end sections. The first side of the central section is connected to the upper face of the first lateral section at a position between the inner and outer end sections, and the second side of the central section is connected to the upper face of the second lateral section at a corresponding position. First and second attachment zones on the lower faces are configured to be connected to the tissue plane.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00012, clm-00021, and clm-00025. They cover an elastically biased tissue bridge with a predefined at-rest separation distance and a larger distortion-induced separation distance, and force direction onto a tissue plane through serial application steps that cause rotation of lateral sections relative to a central section.
Elastically biased tissue bridge with at-rest and distortion-induced separation distances
The tissue bridge is elastically biased toward an at-rest state so that a predefined at-rest separation distance is defined between first and second sides in the at-rest state, and is deformable so that a distortion-induced separation distance is defined between the first and second sides in a deformed state, wherein the distortion-induced separation distance is greater than the at-rest separation distance.
Force application via serial distorting force, deformed-state application, and release causing lateral-section rotation
The tissue bridge is elastically biased toward the at-rest state to cause first and second lateral sections to rotate with respect to the central section to apply forces to the tissue plane in response to serial application of a distorting force to the tissue bridge, application of the tissue bridge in the deformed state to the tissue plane, and release of the distorting force.
Flexible arch central section
The tissue bridge includes a central section comprising a flexible arch extending over an area.
Movable joints at connections between central sides and lateral upper faces
The connection between the first side of the central section and the upper face of the first lateral section comprises a first movable joint, and the connection between the second side of the central section and the upper face of the second lateral section comprises a second movable joint.
Multi-piece construction of central and lateral sections
The tissue bridge is constructed in multiple pieces, with the central section and the lateral sections each comprising a multi-piece arrangement.
Across clm-00001, clm-00012, clm-00021, and clm-00025, the independent claims cover an elastically biased tissue bridge that defines an at-rest separation distance and a larger distortion-induced separation distance between first and second sides, and directs forces onto a tissue plane using serial application of a distorting force, deformed-state application, and release to cause rotation of lateral sections relative to a central section. Additional claim features include a flexible arch central section, movable joints at central-to-lateral connections, and multi-piece construction; coplanarity constraints and attachment zones are present in dependent refinements.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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