Microblister skin grafting
Inventors
Sabir, Sameer Ahmed • Ziegler, Andrew
Assignees
Kinetic Concepts Inc • KCI Holding Co Inc • Solventum Intellectual Properties Co
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Publication Number
US-10537355-B2
Publication Date
2020-01-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to devices for harvesting a skin graft(s). The present invention provides a blister raising device integrated with a member for cutting the blister.
Core Innovation
The document describes a device for obtaining a skin graft that includes a harvester configured for placement on a target region of a patient's skin. The harvester is configured to form a sealing engagement with a head that provides negative pressure so that the target region of skin is embraced within an evacuated chamber. In the evacuated chamber, at least one alignment plate having a plurality of holes raises skin blisters in presence of the negative pressure.
A cutting plate is disposed between a top alignment plate and a bottom alignment plate. The cutting plate has at least one cutting surface configured to cleave the skin blisters after they are formed within the chamber. The top alignment plate, the bottom alignment plate, and the cutting plate each comprises a plurality of holes that are configured to be concentrically aligned to facilitate formation of the skin blisters.
The document further describes that the device architecture enables integration of blister raising with cutting and blister/capture handling using a substrate removably coupled to the harvester. It includes features related to preventing overheating by using radiation-attenuating and radiation-absorbing surfaces and provides viewing windows and/or magnification lens for visual monitoring. It also describes calibration marks and gauge/counterbore to indicate blister size, and optional chamber functionality for blister capture/handling.
Manufacturing and coupling approaches are described for the cutting plate and alignment plates, including frangible coupling of components via frangible sections and/or spot welding designed to break upon actuator actuation to decouple parts. The cutter plate is movable by an actuator between defined positions and may be returned/retracted after cleavage. The document also describes clinical use for generating epidermal micrografts, including autografts for vitiligo, based on generating epidermal micrografts from suction blisters.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim coverage is centered on a microblister skin graft harvesting device that integrates a negative-pressure sealed chamber for raising skin blisters through aligned holes and then cleaving those blisters using a cutting plate. Across the dependent claims referenced, the inventive features refine mechanical actuation/positioning of the cutting plate, the manner of cutting plate and alignment plate coupling/decoupling, and additional structural/material features used in the device.
Negative-pressure sealed chamber for blister raising
A harvester placed on a target region forms a sealing engagement with a head that provides negative pressure, embracing the target region of skin within an evacuated chamber so that skin blisters are raised within the chamber.
Concentrically aligned alignment plates and cutting plate holes
At least one alignment plate comprises a top alignment plate and a bottom alignment plate having pluralities of holes, and a cutting plate disposed between them has at least one cutting surface; the top plate, bottom plate, and cutting plate each comprises pluralities of holes configured to be concentrically aligned to facilitate formation of the skin blisters.
Cutting plate cleaves formed skin blisters
A cutting plate disposed between the top and bottom alignment plates includes at least one cutting surface configured to cleave the skin blisters after they are formed within the chamber.
Frangible coupling of cutting plate and alignment plate
The cutting plate and at least one alignment plate are frangibly connected by one or more spot welds designed to break when the actuator is actuated.
Actuator-driven lateral movement between positions
An actuator whose rotation laterally moves a cutting plate from a first position to a second position.
Single-stroke cleavage then partial retraction
One stroke of the actuator moves the cutting plate to cleave skin blisters and then reverses to partially retract the cutting plate.
Fluoropolymer surface on the top plate
The top plate includes at least one fluoropolymer surface.
Relative hole sizing between top and bottom plates
The holes in the top plate are larger than the holes in the bottom plate.
Overall, the claims coverage focuses on forming a negative-pressure sealed evacuated chamber, raising suction blisters through concentrically aligned hole arrays on a top alignment plate, bottom alignment plate, and cutting plate, and cleaving the formed blisters with a cutting surface, with dependent features covering frangible coupling via spot welding and actuator-driven movement between defined positions, including cleavage followed by partial retraction, plus additional structural/material features such as a fluoropolymer top surface and a top-to-bottom hole-size relationship.
Stated Advantages
Prevents overheating via radiation-attenuating and radiation-absorbing surfaces.
Facilitates visual monitoring of blister formation using viewing windows and/or a magnification lens.
Indicates blister size using gauge/counterbore and/or calibration marks.
Enables formation and handling of epidermal micrografts, including autografts for vitiligo.
Documented Applications
Generating epidermal micrografts using suction blister generation, including autografts for vitiligo, with micrografts associated with recipient/donor sites.
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