Surgical skin closure

Claim 2

A therapeutic device for skin lesions, comprising: (a) at least two flexible strip members with an adhesive coating on one side for securing the flexible strips to skin on opposing sides of a lesion, (b) at least one flap member for each flexible strip and secured to a portion of that flexible strip which is intended to lie alongside the lesion, (c) means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the skin on the opposing sides of a lesion to which the flexible strips are to be secured by the adhesive coatings, (d) means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another, in a direction extending across the lesion, after the strips have been secured to the skin on opposing sides of the lesion, to substantially close the skin over the lesion, and wherein the improvement comprises: (e) a rectangular shaped buckle member having two opposite side bars around which the flaps are looped and corner portions, and (f) means for securing the looped ends of the flaps to their respective flexible members whereby, (g) the corner portions form said means for aligning the flaps, and the side bars together with the means for securing the looped ends of the flaps to their respective flexible members form said means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein the buckle member is in two halves, each half containing one of the side bars around which some of the flaps are looped, and further comprising wave, strip tension springs joining the ends of the two buckle halves together.

Claim 4

A therapeutic device for skin lesions, comprising: (a) at least two flexible strip members with an adhesive coating on one side for securing the flexible strips to skin on opposing sides of a lesion, (b) at least one flap member for each flexible strip and secured to a portion of that flexible strip which is intended to lie alongside the lesion, (c) means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the skin on the opposing sides of a lesion to which the flexible strips are to be secured by the adhesive coatings, and (d) means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another, in a direction extending across the lesion, after the strips have been secured to the skin on opposing sides of the lesion, to substantially close the skin over the lesion, (e) a buckle member having at least two side bars around which the flaps are looped and corner portions, and, (f) means for securing the looped ends of the flaps to their respective flexible members, whereby (g) the corner portions form said means for aligning the flaps, and the side bars together with the means for securing the looped ends of the flaps to their respective flexible members form said means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another, and wherein the improvement comprises: (h) a resilient, buckle cover member having a plurality of buckle engaging pins, and corresponding holes in the buckle member to the buckle engaging pins on the resilient, buckle cover member, whereby, (i) the resilient, buckle cover member may be sprung outwardly to locate the buckle engaging pins in the holes in the buckle member.

Claim 5

A therapeutic device for skin lesions, comprising: (a) at least two flexible strip members with an adhesive coating on one side for securing the flexible strips to skin on opposing sides of a lesion, (b) at least one flap member for each flexible strip and secured to a portion of that flexible strip which is intended to lie alongside the lesion, (c) means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the skin on the opposing sides of a lesion to which the flexible strips are to be secured by the adhesive coatings, and (d) means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another, in a direction extending across the lesion, after the strips have been secured to the skin on opposing sides of the lesion, to substantially close the skin over the lesion, (e) a buckle member having at least two side bars around which the flaps are looped and corner portions, and, (f) means for securing the looped ends of the flaps to their respective flexible members, whereby (g) the corner portions form said means for aligning the flaps, and the side bars together with the means for securing the looped ends of the flaps to their respective flexible members form said means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another, and wherein the improvement comprises: (h) a resilient, buckle cover member having a plurality of buckle engaging pins, and corresponding holes in the buckle member to the buckle engaging pins on the resilient, buckle cover member, whereby, (i) the resilient, buckle cover member may be sprung outwardly to locate the buckle engaging pins in the holes in the buckle member.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 3, which includes a medicated, absorbent pad, and the medicated absorbent pad is secured to the flexible, buckle cover member to extend into an opening in the buckle member and into contact with a lesion, once the flexible, buckle cover member is secured to the buckle member.

Claim 7

A therapeutic device for skin lesions, comprising: (a) at least two flexible strip members with an adhesive coating on one side for securing the flexible strips to skin on opposing sides of a lesion, (b) at least one flap member for each flexible strip and secured to a portion of that flexible strip which is intended to lie alongside the lesion, (c) means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the skin on the opposing sides of a lesion to which the flexible strips are to be secured by the adhesive coatings, and (d) means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another, in a direction extending across the lesion, after the strips have been secured to the skin on opposing sides of the lesion, to substantially close the skin over the lesion, and wherein the improvement comprises: (e) the flaps are paired and are folded back on the flexible strips, said means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the skin comprises corresponding markings on the flaps, and a transparent, removable cover on the flaps securing the strips with a gap between them.

Claim 8

A therapeutic device for skin lesions, comprising: (a) at least two flexible strip members with an adhesive coating on one side for securing the flexible strips to skin on opposing sides of a lesion, (b) at least one flap member for each flexible strip and secured to a portion of that flexible strip which is intended to lie alongside the lesion, (c) means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the skin on the opposing sides of a lesion to which the flexible strips are to be secured by the adhesive coatings, and (d) means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another, in a direction extending across the lesion, after the strips have been secured to the skin on opposing sides of the lesion, to substantially close the skin over the lesion, and wherein the improvement comprises: (e) the flaps are paired and are folded back on the flexible strips, said means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the skin comprises corresponding markings on the flaps, and a transparent, removable cover on the flaps securing the strips with a gap between them.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 5, wherein said means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another comprises rods extending along the flaps and having holes at each end, and U-shaped staples which have been sprung with their sides splayed apart into the holes in the rods to clamp the flaps together.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 5, wherein said means for aligning the flaps to avoid lateral displacement of the sking further comprises adhesively coated end panels joining the ends of the flexible strip and for securement to the skin by the adhesive coatings.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 5, wherein said means for drawing and holding the flexible strips closer to one another comprises an adhesive coating on at least one of the flaps for securing the flaps together in face-to-face relation.