US 12,128,171 B2
Vacuum closure device
Bryan Greener, York (GB)
Assigned to Smith & Nephew PLC, Watford (GB)
Filed by Smith & Nephew PLC, Watford (GB)
Filed on May 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/740,748.
Application 17/740,748 is a continuation of application No. 16/879,466, filed on May 20, 2020, granted, now 11,357,905.
Application 16/879,466 is a continuation of application No. 15/796,441, filed on Oct. 27, 2017, granted, now 10,695,472, issued on Jun. 30, 2020.
Application 15/796,441 is a continuation of application No. 14/466,892, filed on Aug. 22, 2014, granted, now 9,801,986, issued on Oct. 31, 2017.
Application 14/466,892 is a continuation of application No. 12/922,118, granted, now 8,821,535, issued on Sep. 2, 2014, previously published as PCT/GB2009/000696, filed on Mar. 13, 2009.
Claims priority of application No. 0804654 (GB), filed on Mar. 13, 2008.
Prior Publication US 2022/0339344 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 1/00 (2006.01); A61F 13/05 (2024.01); A61M 27/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 1/916 (2021.05) [A61M 1/732 (2021.05); A61M 1/913 (2021.05); A61F 13/05 (2024.01); A61M 1/60 (2021.05); A61M 1/604 (2021.05); A61M 1/67 (2021.05); A61M 1/71 (2021.05); A61M 1/78 (2021.05); A61M 1/80 (2021.05); A61M 1/962 (2021.05); A61M 27/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for closing a wound, the apparatus comprising:
a tissue stabilizer configured for placement over a wound comprising wound margins, the tissue stabilizer configured to exert a contractile force to the wound margins when under negative pressure, thereby drawing the wound margins toward a center of the wound; and
wherein the tissue stabilizer is configured to contract more in a direction parallel to a skin surface adjacent the wound than in a direction perpendicular to the skin surface, the tissue stabilizer configured to contract anisotropically parallel to the skin surface.