Method and apparatus for closing wounds without sutures

Abstract

An elongated flexible base strip is constructed with a bottom surface coated with an adhesive material. The base strip is constructed with bridging links that are spaced along the inner edge of the base strip and extend outward therefrom. The base strip, is cut to a first length and aligned with the wound with the bridging links extending over the wound. A matching portion of base strip is cut to a second length and aligned with the wound with the bridging links opposing. The opposing links are drawn together to close the wound. Adhesive on the links holds the links to the opposite base strip.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A device for closing a wound comprising: 
 an elongated base strip having top and bottom surfaces, wherein said bottom surface is coated with adhesive;    a plurality of bridging links connected to an operating edge of said base strip and extending outward therefrom, said bridging links having an engaging surface;    wherein said base strip is adapted to be separated into at least first and second lengths for application to opposite sides of said wound with the operating edge thereof adjacent to said wound, said first and second lengths having first and second sets of bridging links respectively; and    further wherein said bridging links of said first set are adapted to be drawn into a bridging position, in which said wound is closed and said engaging surfaces of said first set of bridging links engage the top side of said second length of said base strip, and said bridging links of said second set are adapted to be drawn into a bridging position, in which said wound is closed and said engaging surfaces of said second set of bridging links engage the top side of said first length of said base strip.    
     
     
         2 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said bridging links are moveable from a stored position, in which the bridging links are folded back over a top side of said base strip and said bridging position.  
     
     
         3 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 1 , further comprising a first protective tape applied to said bottom of said base strip to cover the adhesive coating thereon and a second protective tape applied to cover said adhesive section of said bridging links.  
     
     
         4 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 3 , wherein said first protective tape is constructed having first and second sections which cooperate to cover the adhesive coating on the bottom of said base strip, and wherein said first protective tape is constructed to cover a limited portion of said adhesive located at said operating edge and said second section covers the rest of the bottom adhesive coating.  
     
     
         5 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 3 , wherein said first protective tape is constructed having a discrete folding line to enable the user to at least partially remove said protective tape and expose a limited area of adhesive adjacent to said operating edge.  
     
     
         6 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 3 , wherein said first protective tape is constructed to cover a limited area of said bottom adhesive of said base strip and leave adhesive adjacent to said operating edge exposed; and further comprising an overall wrapping to enclose said device including said exposed operating edge adhesive.  
     
     
         7 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 4 , wherein said protective tapes are coded to indicate to the user the order of removal for use.  
     
     
         8 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 2 , wherein portions of the top of said base strip are coated with adhesive to engage the bridging links and secure said bridging links in their stored position.  
     
     
         9 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 1 , wherein the bridging links are constructed of a material, which is more rigid than, said base strip.  
     
     
         10 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 1 , wherein, at least a section of the engaging surface of said bridging link is coated with an adhesive to adhere to the base strip in the bridging position.  
     
     
         11 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 1 , wherein, at least a section of the top surface of said base strip is coated with an adhesive, in a position to receive the engaging surface of said bridging link in the bridging position.  
     
     
         12 . A device for closing a wound comprising: 
 an elongated base strip having top and bottom surfaces, wherein said bottom surface is coated with adhesive, said base strip being apportioned into first and second operational units;    a pair of bridging links constructed on said first operational unit on an operating edge thereof, extending outward from said first unit, said pair of bridging links having an engaging surface;    a single bridging link constructed on said second operational unit on an operating edge thereof, extending outward from said operating edge of second unit, said bridging link having an engaging surface;    wherein said first and second operational units of said base strip are adapted to be separated from said base strip for application to opposite sides of said wound, with the operating edge of each of said units positioned adjacent to said wound; and    further wherein said pair of bridging links of said first operational unit and said single bridging link of said second operational unit are adapted to be unfolded from their stored positions and drawn into said bridging position, in which said wound is closed and said pair of bridging links of said first operational unit engage the top side of said second operational unit, and said single bridging link of said second operational unit engage the top side of said first operational unit.    
     
     
         13 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 12 , wherein the base strip is constructed having a plurality of pairs of first and second operational units.  
     
     
         14 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 12 , wherein the bridging links are constructed of a material, which is more rigid than the base strip.  
     
     
         15 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 12 , wherein, at least a section of the engaging surface of said bridging link is coated with an adhesive to adhere to the base strip in the bridging position.  
     
     
         16 . A device for closing a wound, as described in  claim 12 , wherein, at least a section of the top surface of said base strip is coated with an adhesive, in a position to receive the engaging surface of said bridging link in the bridging position.  
     
     
         17 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound comprising the steps of: 
 forming an elongated base strip having top and bottom surfaces;    applying a coating of adhesive to the bottom surface of said base strip;    constructing a plurality of bridging links connected to an operating edge of said base strip and extending outward therefrom, each of said bridging links having an engaging surface; and    adapting said base strip to be separated into at least first and second lengths for application to opposite sides of said wound with the operating edge thereof adjacent to said wound, and said first and second lengths having first and second sets of bridging links respectively.    
     
     
         18 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of connecting said bridging links to said base strip to allow said bridging links to be folded over the top surface of said base strip in a stored position.  
     
     
         19 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of applying a coating of adhesive to a limited region of said top surface in a position to engage and releasably hold said bridging link in the stored position.  
     
     
         20 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 17 , wherein said bridging links are constructed to be more rigid than said base strip.  
     
     
         21 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of applying a coating of adhesive to said engaging surface of said bridging links.  
     
     
         22 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 21 , wherein, in said step of coating a section of said engaging surface with an adhesive, said coating is applied to at least a section of the top surface of said base strip instead of said engaging surface, in a position to receive the engaging surface of said bridging link.  
     
     
         23 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 21 , further comprising the step of applying a first protective tape to protect the adhesive coating on the bottom of the base strip and applying a second removable protective tape to protect the adhesive coating on the engaging surface of said bridging links, wherein said tapes are coded to indicate their order of removal.  
     
     
         24 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 17 , wherein said protective tape, applied to the bottom surface of the base strip, is constructed to allow limited initial removal thereof to expose a limited region of adhesive along the operating edge of said base strip to facilitate the application of the base strip adjacent to the wound  
     
     
         25 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: 
 apportioning said base strip into first and second operational units, wherein said first operational unit has a pair of bridging links connected to said operational edge and said second operational unit has a single bridging link connected to said operational edge; and    adapting said first and second operational units to be separated from said base strip for application to opposite sides of said wound, with the operating edge of each of said operational units positioned adjacent to said wound.    
     
     
         26 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 25 , further comprising the step of connecting said bridging links to each of said operational units to allow said bridging links to be folded over the top surface of said base strip in a stored position.  
     
     
         27 . A method of closing a wound comprising the steps of: 
 forming an elongated base strip having top and bottom surfaces;    applying a coating of adhesive to the bottom surface of said base strip;    constructing a plurality of bridging links connected to an operating edge of said base strip and extending outward therefrom, each of said bridging links having an engaging surface;    adapting said base strip to be separated into at least first and second lengths, said first and second lengths having first and second sets of bridging links respectively;    applying said first and second lengths to opposite sides of said wound with the operating edge thereof adjacent to said wound;    drawing said first set of bridging links into a bridging position, in which said wound is closed and said engaging surfaces of said first set of bridging links engage the top side of said second length of said base strip, and drawing said second set of bridging links into a bridging position, in which said wound is closed and said engaging surfaces of said second set of bridging links engage the top side of said first length of said base strip.    
     
     
         28 . A method of closing a wound, according to  claim 27 , further comprising the step of connecting said bridging links to said base strip to allow said bridging links to be folded over the top surface of said base strip in a stored position.  
     
     
         29 . A method of closing a wound, according to  claim 28 , further comprising the step of applying a coating of adhesive to a limited region of said top surface in a position to engage and releasably hold said bridging link in the stored position.  
     
     
         30 . A method of closing a wound, according to  claim 27 , wherein said bridging links are constructed to be more rigid than said base strip.  
     
     
         31 . A method of closing a wound, according to  claim 27 , further comprising the step of applying a first protective tape to protect the adhesive coating on the bottom of the base strip and applying a second removable protective tape to protect the adhesive coating on the engaging surface of said bridging links, wherein said tapes are coded to indicate their order of removal.  
     
     
         32 . A method of closing a wound, according to  claim 31 , wherein said protective tape, applied to the bottom surface of the base strip, is constructed to allow limited initial removal thereof to expose a limited region of adhesive along the operating edge of said base strip to facilitate the application of the base strip adjacent to the wound.  
     
     
         33 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 27 , further comprising the step of applying a coating of adhesive to said engaging surface of said bridging links.  
     
     
         34 . A method of constructing a closure for a wound, according to  claim 33 , wherein, in said step of coating a section of said engaging surface within an adhesive, said coating is applied to at least a section of the top surface of said base strip instead of said engaging surface, in a position to receive the engaging surface of said bridging link.  
     
     
         35 . A method of closing a wound, according to  claim 27 , further comprising the steps of: 
 apportioning said base strip into first and second operational units, wherein said first operational unit has a pair of bridging links connected to said operational edge and said second operational unit has a single bridging link connected to said operational edge; and    adapting said first and second operational units to be separated from said base strip for application to opposite sides of said wound, with the operating edge of each of said operational units positioned adjacent to said wound.    
     
     
         36 . A method of closing a wound, according to  claim 35 , further comprising the step of connecting said bridging links to each of said operational units to allow said bridging links to be folded over the top surface of said base strip in a stored position.  
     
     
         37 . A device for closing a wound comprising: 
 an elongated flexible base strip having a bottom surface coated with an adhesive material;    a plurality of bridging links connected to an inner edge of the base strip in spaced relation, said bridging links extending outward from said inner edge;    wherein said base strip, is of a sufficient length to allow the division of said base strip into at least a first length and a second length, wherein each of said first and second lengths is adaptable for alignment on opposite sides of the wound with said bridging links extending over the wound in opposing directions, and further wherein said opposing links may be drawn together and secured to the opposite base strip to close and secure the wound.