The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 23, 1996
Filed:
May. 03, 1993
Bernard Hirshowitz, Haifa, IL;
Amnon Levy, Haifa, IL;
Alexander R Gilat, Haifa, IL;
Eitan Rogel, Haifa, IL;
Jeffrey Stein, Milford, CT (US);
Julian Borgia, Belle Mead, NJ (US);
Medchem Products, Inc., Princeton, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for closing wide skin defects may be used with two long interdermal needles configured for insertion underneath skin close to margins of a skin defect. The skin closing apparatus may include two U-shaped retaining members configured as a flange connecting two legs and forming a U-shaped profile. Each of the legs may include a sharp hook at the end of the leg adapted for piercing the skin and engaging one of the long interdermal needles. Each retaining member may include a pivoting platform that pivots up to 20.degree. from an initial position indicated by a detent mechanism. A contracting mechanism such as a screw may connect the retaining members and approximate the interdermal needles, while bringing the skin margins together until final closure of the skin defect results. The skin closing apparatus may also include a clutch mechanism configured to disengage the screw from a knob or handle, when a predetermined force is met or exceeded. A visual or auditory element may also be provided to indicate the amount of force applied to the skin. A retractor may be packaged with the skin closing apparatus and long interdermal needles in a presterilized kit. The retractor may exhibit atraumatic ends having curved edges. The retractor may also exhibit english and metric measuring scales to aid in placing the skin closing apparatus and long interdermal needles about the skin defect. The device may be configured as a single use device utilized with gamma sterilization. In the event the device is configured for multiple uses, any conventional sterilization method may be utilized.