Negative pressure wound closure device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a negative pressure wound closure system and methods for using such a system. Preferred embodiments of the invention facilitate closure of the wound by preferentially contracting to provide for movement of the tissue. Preferred embodiments can utilize tissue grasping elements to apply a wound closing force to the tissue.

1 - 75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . A negative pressure wound closure device, comprising:
 a porous foam wound filler material that is sized and shaped to fit within a wound opening between wound margins,. wherein the porous foam wound filler material has a pore size and a pore density, and wherein the porous foam wound filler material is structured to preferentially contract along at least a first x-direction and inhibit contraction along a second y-direction upon application of a negative pressure to the wound opening to cause the wound margins to move along the first x-direction towards closure of the wound.   
     
     
         77 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76  further comprising a tissue grasping surface extending over an outer peripheral surface of the wound filler material and comprising a plurality of outward-projecting tissue anchors that contact tissue at a margin of the wound opening and displace the tissue at the wound margin upon application of the negative pressure to the wound filler material to facilitate closure of the wound. 
     
     
         78 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76 , further comprising:
 a negative pressure source that is coupled to the porous foam wound filler material to apply a closure force to the wound opening; and   a surface layer below the porous foam wound filler material that is configured to manage fluid within the wound and not to generate granulation.   
     
     
         79 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 77 , wherein the plurality of tissue anchors are integrally formed in the wound filler material. 
     
     
         80 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 77 , wherein the tissue grasping surface comprises a film that is provided over a surface of the wound filler material, the plurality of tissue anchors projecting outward from the film. 
     
     
         81 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 80 , wherein the film comprises a mesh material and includes a second plurality of inward facing anchors that secure the film to the wound filler material. 
     
     
         82 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76 , wherein the wound filler material further comprises a stabilizing structure to enable collapse in at least the first x-direction and inhibit collapse in at least the second y-direction, the stabilizing structure including different regions in the porous foam wound filler material having different pore sizes or pore densities or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         83 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 82 , wherein the stabilizing structure comprises one or more regions of rigid material surrounded by regions of compressible material. 
     
     
         84 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 82 , wherein the wound filler material has length, width and height dimensions, and the stabilizing structure inhibits collapse in the height dimension. 
     
     
         85 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 82 , wherein the stabilizing structure compresses the wound filler material in at least the first x-direction to effect reapproximation of the wound. 
     
     
         86 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 82 , wherein the stabilizing structure substantially restricts the collapse of the wound filler material to a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the wound margins. 
     
     
         87 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claims 82 , wherein the stabilizing structure comprises an endoskeleton made from rigid material. 
     
     
         88 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 82  wherein the stabilizing structure comprises a plurality of connected articulating elements. 
     
     
         89 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76  wherein the porous foam wound filler material has an oval shape sized to fit within an abdominal wound opening and positioned over a surface layer such that the device contracts over the surface layer. 
     
     
         90 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 89  wherein the surface layer comprises a porous material to manage fluid within the wound such that the porous foam wound filler material slides over the surface layer during contraction. 
     
     
         91 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76  wherein the porous foam wound filler material has regions of rigid material and regions of compressible material wherein the porous foam wound filler material has variable pore sizes and/or pore density. 
     
     
         92 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76  further comprising a plurality of stabilizer elements extending within the wound filler in a z-direction. 
     
     
         93 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 92  wherein the plurality of stabilizer elements comprise ribs, flexures or rods. 
     
     
         94 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 92  wherein the stabilizer elements comprise a rigid or semi-rigid material. 
     
     
         95 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 92  wherein the stabilizer elements are separated by a flexible material. 
     
     
         96 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76  wherein the porous foam wound filler material comprises a smooth bottom surface that slides during contraction in the first x-direction. 
     
     
         97 . The negative pressure wound closure device of  claim 76  wherein the porous foam wound filler material has cleavage lines to provide for removal of one or more sections. 
     
     
         98 . A method for treating a wound, comprising:
 placing into a wound opening a porous wound filler material that is sized and shaped to fit within the wound opening between wound margins, wherein the porous wound filler material has a pore size and a pore density; and   applying a negative pressure to the wound opening to cause the porous wound filler material to preferentially contract-along at least a first x-direction and inhibit contraction along a second y-direction to cause the wound margins to move along the first x-direction towards closure of the wound.   
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 98 , wherein the placing of the porous wound filler material further comprises using a plurality of stabilizer elements extending within the wound filler material in a z-direction to inhibit contraction of the porous wound filler materials in the z-direction. 
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein the plurality of stabilizer elements comprise ribs, flexures or rods. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein the stabilizer elements comprise a rigid or semi-rigid material. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein the stabilizer elements are separated by a flexible material. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 98 , wherein the porous wound filler material comprises a smooth bottom surface that slides during contraction in the first x-direction. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 98 , wherein the porous wound filler has cleavage lines to provide removal of one or more sections. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 98 , wherein the porous wound filler material comprises a foam. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 98 , wherein the porous wound filler material comprises a mesh. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 98 , wherein the porous wound filler material further comprises a mesh that extends around an oval shaped structure that contracts in the first x-direction.