# US 11,298,133 B2 · Force modulating tissue bridge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,133 B2 - Document ID: US11298133B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/406,058 - Filed: 2019-05-08 - Published: 2019-08-29 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-31 - Assignees: Emrge, LLC - Applicants: Emrge, LLC - Inventors: Felmont Eaves - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298133B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/085: {with adhesive layer} - A61B 17/00491: {Surgical glue applicators} - A61B 17/064: Surgical staples, {i.e. penetrating the tissue} - A61B 17/10: for applying or removing wound clamps {, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple (A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068)}; Wound clamp magazines - A61B 2017/00862: {elastic or resilient} - A61B 2017/00951: {adhesive} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Medical devices disclosed herein include pre-defined structures for dispensing forces onto a tissue plane in a living organism and are utilized to adjust spatial relationships, orientations, and mechanical forces in a patient treatment area. The treatment area may be a wound, an incision, or a surgically accessed area within a patient that includes oppositely disposed sections that heal more efficiently and with less scarring when force vectors of a particular magnitude and direction are applied to the treatment area. The medical device provides a structure that may be pre-stressed through planned deformation that develops desirable spatial and mechanical relationships along the tissue plane for alignment, compression, advancement, eversion, inversion, distraction, rotation, angulation, and the control or modulation of tension across the treatment area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tissue bridge for directing forces onto a tissue plane, the tissue bridge comprising: a central section extending over an area, the central section comprising first and second sides and corresponding openings defined within the first and second sides, wherein the central section is flexible to allow the first and second sides to have (i) a predefined at-rest separation distance between the first and second sides and (ii) a distortion-induced separation distance between the first and second sides, and wherein the distortion-induced separation distance is larger than the at-rest separation distance; a first lateral section extending from the first side of the central section, wherein the first lateral section comprises an inner end section extending inwardly from the first side of the central section into the area over which the central section extends; a second lateral section extending from the second side of the central section, wherein the second lateral section comprises an inner end section extending inwardly from the second side of the central section into the area over which the central section extends; and respective attachment zones on the lateral sections configured to be connected to the tissue plane; wherein the first lateral section and the second lateral section comprise corresponding openings. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tissue bridge according to claim 1, wherein: the first side of the central section is connected to the first lateral section at a first location that is positioned between, and distant from, opposite ends of the first lateral section; and the second side of the central section is connected to the second lateral section at a second location that is positioned between, and distant from, opposite ends of the second lateral section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tissue bridge according to claim 2, wherein the connection between the first side of the central section and the first lateral section and the connection between the second side of the central section and the second lateral section both comprise a movable joint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tissue bridge according to claim 1, wherein: the central section and the lateral sections comprise a single piece construction; and the central section comprises a flexible arch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tissue bridge according to claim 1, wherein: each of the first and second lateral sections includes an outer end section; and the outer end sections extend outwardly, obliquely downwardly relative to an axis that both the predefined at-rest separation distance and the distortion-induced separation distance extend along, so that the outer end sections extend divergently away from one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tissue bridge according to claim 1, wherein the attachment zones comprise adhesive tabs extending from the first and second lateral sections for attaching the tissue bridge to the tissue plane. ### Claim 7 A system, comprising: a tissue bridge for directing forces onto a tissue plane, the tissue bridge comprising: a central section extending over an area, the central section comprising first and second sides and corresponding openings defined within the first and second sides, wherein the central section is flexible to allow the first and second sides to have (i) a predefined at-rest separation distance between the first and second sides and (ii) a distortion-induced separation distance between the first and second sides, and wherein the distortion-induced separation distance is larger than the at-rest separation distance; a first lateral section extending from the first side of the central section, wherein the first lateral section comprises an inner end section extending inwardly from the first side of the central section into the area over which the central section extends; a second lateral section extending from the second side of the central section, wherein the second lateral section comprises an inner end section extending inwardly from the second side of the central section into the area over which the central section extends; and respective attachment zones on the lateral sections configured to be connected to the tissue plane; and a hand-held deforming mechanism configured to distort the tissue bridge by: applying a downward force to a central portion of the central section; and applying upward forces to the tissue bridge at a first location and a second location, wherein the first location and second location are on opposite sides of the central portion of the central section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein: the first side of the central section is connected to the first lateral section at a first connecting location that is positioned between, and distant from, opposite ends of the first lateral section; and the second side of the central section is connected to the second lateral section at a second connecting location that is positioned between, and distant from, opposite ends of the second lateral section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein: the central section and the lateral sections comprise a single piece construction; and the central section comprises a flexible arch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein: each of the first and second lateral sections includes an outer end section; and the outer end sections extend outwardly, obliquely downwardly relative to an axis that both the predefined at-rest separation distance and the distortion-induced separation distance extend along, so that the outer end sections extend divergently away from one another. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein the attachment zones comprise adhesive tabs extending from the first and second lateral sections for attaching the tissue bridge to the tissue plane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein the first lateral section and the second lateral section comprise corresponding openings. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein the first location is on the first side of the central section and the second location is on the second side of the central section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein: the tissue bridge comprises: a first shoulder extending from the first side of the central section to the first lateral section; and a second shoulder extending from the second side of the central section to the first lateral section; and the first location is on the first shoulder and the second location is on the second shoulder. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The system according to claim 7, wherein the first location is on the first lateral section and the second location is on the second lateral section.