Surgical cavity drainage and closure system

Abstract

A surgical drain device includes an adhesion matrix of biodegradable polymer material and a plurality of drain tubes attached to the matrix. The device is implanted within a surgical wound to treat the presence of seromas, for example, and is used to promote drainage, tissue adhesion, and wound closure. The drain tubes converge into a common collection tube that leads wound fluid outside the body under gravity feed or negative pressure applied to the collection tube. The matrix contains an array of apertures that allow tissue contact across the device. The device also can include a coating of surgical adhesive and a tissue anchoring system of hooks or barbs. The device can be used with a negative pressure system to further improve the drainage band can also be used with a wound dressing. The device and systems containing the device are particularly useful to promote the healing of surgical wounds from abdominal surgery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical drain device comprising:
 a plurality of drain tubes positioned with an adhesion matrix within a flap wound, the adhesion matrix having a wound conforming shape and comprising a plurality of apertures for tissue contact through the matrix, the drain tubes being configured to be positioned in a spaced apart distribution within the wound and being removable from the wound through a single exit site; and   an external drain tube connectable to a negative pressure source, the external drain tube being in fluid communication with the plurality of drain tubes through the single exit site.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the adhesion matrix further comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the adhesion matrix further comprises a tissue anchor. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of drain tubes comprises at least three tubes connected to a manifold. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the manifold is connectable to the negative pressure source and the drain tubes are positioned in a spaced array emanating along different radial directions from the manifold. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the adhesion matrix comprises a sheet having a thickness of less than 2 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the apertures have a total of at least  50  percent of a total surface area of the matrix and have varying sizes. 
     
     
         8 . A system for surgical wound drainage, the system comprising:
 the drain device of  claim 1 ; and   a vacuum source, wherein the negative pressure source comprises the vacuum source.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a wound dressing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the wound dressing is configured to overlie a drain tube exit site. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a flow regulation system that regulates flow from the drain tubes. 
     
     
         12 . A surgical device to treat or prevent seroma, comprising:
 a plurality of at least three drain tubes having distal ends that are configured to be positioned in a spaced apart distribution within a partially closed flap wound such that flap tissue contacts opposing tissue at areas between the plurality of the at least three drain tubes in the spaced apart distribution, each drain tube including apertures along a length of the drain tube such that fluid within a wound can flow through the apertures and into a channel of at least one of the drain tubes;   an external tube connectable to the plurality of at least three drain tubes and configured to be positioned at a single exit site through skin of the partially closed flap wound, the external tube being connectable to a negative pressure source to facilitate drainage of fluid,   wherein the plurality of at least three drain tubes are removable from the wound for wound closure.   
     
     
         13 . The surgical device of  claim 12 , further comprising the negative pressure source connected to the external tube. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical device of  claim 12 , further comprising an adhesion matrix attached to the plurality of at least three drain tubes that holds the drain tubes in a fan-shaped distribution. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical device of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesion matrix further comprises an adhesive configured to attach tissue to the adhesion matrix. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical device of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesion matrix further comprises a plurality of tissue contact apertures that enable tissue growth through the adhesion matrix. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical device of  claim 12 , further comprising a manifold positionable external to the single exit site that connects the single external tube to the plurality of drain tubes. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical device of  claim 12 , further comprising a layer with drain channels between adjacent drain tubes. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical device of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the drain tubes comprises a lumen having a closed end. 
     
     
         20 . A surgical drain system, comprising:
 the surgical device of  claim 12 ;   the negative pressure source that further comprises a pump;   a microprocessor connected to the pump and to a flow valve to control a vacuum level and a rate of fluid removal in the drain tubes; and   a memory to store data including a rate of flow measured by a flow meter.   
     
     
         21 . The surgical device of  claim 12 , further comprising a dressing configured to be applied on a surface of the skin around the wound and overlying the single exit site of the partially closed wound. 
     
     
         22 . A surgical device to treat or prevent seroma, comprising:
 a plurality of at least three drain tubes having distal ends that are configured to be positioned in a spaced apart radial distribution when positioned within a partially closed flap wound such that flap tissue contacts opposing tissue at areas between the plurality of at least three drain tubes in the radial distribution, each drain tube including apertures along a length of the drain tube such that fluid within a wound can flow through the apertures and into a channel within each of the drain tubes; and   an external tube connectable to the plurality of at least three drain tubes with a manifold and positionable relative to a single exit site through skin of the partially closed flap wound, the external tube connectable to a negative pressure source to facilitate drainage of fluid, wherein the plurality of at least three drain tubes are removable from the wound for wound closure.   
     
     
         23 . The surgical device of  claim 22 , further comprising a layer with drain channels between adjacent drain tube. 
     
     
         24 . The surgical device of  claim 22 , further comprising an adhesion matrix attached to the plurality of at least three drain tubes that holds the drain tubes in the fan-shaped distribution. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical device of  claim 24 , wherein the adhesion matrix further comprises an adhesive configured to attach tissue to the adhesion matrix. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical device of  claim 24 , wherein the adhesion matrix further comprises a plurality of tissue contact apertures that enable tissue growth through the adhesion matrix. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the drain tubes comprises a lumen having a closed end. 
     
     
         28 . A surgical drain system, comprising:
 the surgical device of  claim 22 ;   the negative pressure source including a pump,   a microprocessor connected to the pump and to a flow valve to control a vacuum level and a rate of fluid removal in the drain tubes; and   a memory to store data including a rate of flow measured by a flow meter.   
     
     
         29 . The surgical device of  claim 22 , further comprising a dressing configured to be applied on a surface of the skin around the wound and overlying the single exit site of the partially closed wound.