C-spring suture for primary closure of surgical incisions

Abstract

A c-spring suture for primary closure of surgical incisions comprises a “C” shaped, lenticular center spring hingedly connected at each end with surgical tape. In one embodiment, the tape is connected to the center spring through a tape clamp and pin hinge. In another embodiment, the tape is connected to the center spring through welding flanges attached to membrane hinges. In operation, when the c-spring suture is in place on a wound or incision line, the distal ends of the surgical tape relative to the center spring, in conjunction with the center spring, are adapted to produce closure forces along the incision line that are remote from the incision, enabling such forces to act through the thickness of the skin through shear force transfer and provide closure force at the dermal level of the skin that is initially applied at the epidermal level, thus overcoming the problem of skin inversion at incision line common to skin tapes of the prior art.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A suture for primary closure of surgical incisions, comprising:
 a resilient center piece having a first end and a second end;   a first attachment strip connected to said first end of said center piece, wherein said first attachment strip includes a distal end opposite the connection to the center piece and is adapted to be attached to the skin of a wearer of the suture;   a second attachment strip connected to said second end of said center piece, wherein said second attachment strip includes a distal end opposite the connection to the center piece and is adapted to be attached to the skin of a wearer of the suture; and   wherein said first attachment strip are and second attachment strip are adapted to enable the center piece to be stretched from a first position into a second position defined by the center piece having self gauging level of pre-stress, over a wearer's surgical incision, then attached to the wearer's skin, transferring recoiling force from the center piece through the thickness of the skin through shear force transfer to provide closure force initially applied at the epidermal level at the dermal level of the skin.   
     
     
         2 . The suture of  claim 1 , wherein said resilient center piece is a “C” shaped, lenticular spring center configured to provide relief space while in retracted form for compressed tissue below. 
     
     
         3 . The suture of  claim 1 , wherein said first attachment strip and said second attachment strip are connected to the center piece through an attachment member and a hinge member disposed on the first end and an attachment member and a hinge member disposed on the second end, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The suture of  claim 3 , wherein a pin hinge defines at least one of said hinge members. 
     
     
         5 . The suture of  claim 4 , wherein a tape clamp defines at least one of said attachment members. 
     
     
         6 . The suture of  claim 3 , wherein a membrane hinge defines at least one of said hinge members. 
     
     
         7 . The suture of  claim 6 , wherein a welding flange defines at least one of said attachment members. 
     
     
         8 . The suture of  claim 7 , wherein welding flange and hinge member disposed on said first end, said center piece, and said welding flange and hinge member disposed on said first end comprise a single, continuous extrusion. 
     
     
         9 . The suture of  claim 1 , wherein surgical tape defines at least one of said first attachment strip and said second attachment strip. 
     
     
         10 . The suture of  claim 1 , wherein the distal ends of said first attachment strip and of said second attachment strip attach to a wearers skin through a polymerizing skin adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . A suture for primary closure of surgical incisions, comprising:
 a resilient means for storing and releasing mechanical energy;   a first attachment means connected to said resilient means for supplying energy to said resilient means and transferring energy released from the resilient means to skin; and   a second attachment means connected to said resilient means for supplying energy to said resilient means and transferring energy released from the resilient means to skin.   
     
     
         12 . The suture of  claim 11 , wherein:
 said first attachment means is attached to the resilient means through a first connecting means for hingedly attaching; and   said second attachment means is attached to the resilient means through a second connecting means for hingedly attaching.   
     
     
         13 . A method of closing surgical incisions, comprising the steps of
 providing a resilient center piece having a first end and a second end;   providing a first attachment strip connected to said first end of said center piece, wherein said first attachment strip includes a distal end opposite the connection to the center piece and is adapted to be attached to the skin of a wearer of the suture;   providing a second attachment strip connected to said second end of said center piece, wherein said second attachment strip includes a distal end opposite the connection to the center piece and is adapted to be attached to the skin of a wearer of the suture; and   stretching said center piece from a first position into a second position defined by the center piece having self gauging level of pre-stress, over a wearer's surgical incision; and   attaching at least one of said first attachment strip and said second attachment strip to the wearer's skin, enabling said first attachment strip and said second attachment strip to transfer recoiling force from the center piece through the thickness of the skin through shear force transfer to provide closure force initially applied at the epidermal level at the dermal level of the skin.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said resilient center piece is a “C” shaped, lenticular spring center. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said first attachment strip and said second attachment strip are connected to the center piece through an attachment member and a hinge member disposed on the first end and an attachment member and a hinge member disposed on the second end, respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 a pin hinge defines at least one of said hinge members; and   a tape clamp defines at least one of said attachment members.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 a membrane hinge defines at least one of said hinge members; and   a welding flange defines at least one of said attachment members.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein welding flange and hinge member disposed on said first end, said center piece, and said welding flange and hinge member disposed on said first end comprise a single, continuous extrusion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein surgical tape defines at least one of said first attachment strip and said second attachment strip. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the distal ends of said first attachment strip and of said second attachment strip attach to a wearers skin through a polymerizing skin adhesive.