Surgical template and method of use
AssigneeDonald Serafin
InventorDonald Serafin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical template enables marking a pattern on skin to create a skin flap for closing an opening in the skin. The template is a planar sheet having an opening in the shape of a rhomboid. The sheet has a first pair of holes linearly spaced along an axis passing through opposed obtuse corners of the rhomboid. A second pair and a third pair of holes are spaced from the first pair of holes such that a line from adjacent holes of the first pair of holes to the second pair or third pair of holes is parallel to and equal in length to the adjacent side of the rhomboid. The edges of the sheet defining the opening mechanically guide a marker for marking excision lines. Each of the pairs of holes define axes therebetween for marking incision lines on the skin forming a pattern for the skin flap.
Claims10
A surgical template for marking a pattern on skin prior to performing surgery to create a skin flap for closing an opening or wound on the skin, the template comprising
- a substantially planar sheet having an opening defined by a continuous edge forming a closed geometric figure in substantially the shape of a rhomboid, the sheet having all sides equal
- a first pair of holes linearly spaced along an axis passing through opposed obtuse corners of the rhomboid such that the distance between one of the obtuse corners of the rhomboid and the adjacent hole of the first pair of holes is equal to the length of the sides of the rhomboid, and
- a second pair and a third pair of holes, each hole of the second pair and the third pair of holes spaced from the first pair of holes such that a line from the adjacent hole of the first pair of holes to the adjacent one of the second pair or third pair of holes is parallel to and equal in length to the adjacent side of the rhomboid, and
- the surgical template capable of being at least one of smoothed, pressed, and formed in curvature and shape to conform the surgical template to the skin,
- wherein placement of the surgical template allows orientation of the skin flap such that it avoids distortion of an adjacent tissue,
- wherein the edges of the sheet defining the opening form a border for mechanically guiding a marker for marking excision lines on the skin surrounding the portion of skin intended to be removed, and
- wherein each of the pairs of holes define linear axes therebetween for marking incision lines on the skin forming a pattern for the skin flap.
A method for marking a pattern on skin prior to performing surgery to create a skin flap for closing an opening or wound in the skin, the skin pattern marking method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substantially planar sheet having an opening defining a closed geometric figure in substantially the shape of a rhomboid, the sheet having
- a first pair of holes linearly spaced along an axis passing through opposed obtuse corners of the rhomboid such that the distance between one of the obtuse corners of the rhomboid and the adjacent hole of the first pair of holes is equal to the length of the sides of the rhomboid, and
- a second pair and a third pair of holes, each hole of the second pair and the third pair of holes spaced from the first pair of holes such that a line from the adjacent hole of the first pair of holes to the adjacent one of the second pair or third pair of holes is parallel to and equal in length to the adjacent side of the rhomboid;
- at least one of smoothing, pressing, and forming in curvature and shape to conform a position of the sheet on the skin;
- marking the skin along the edges of the sheet defining the opening transferring the rhomboid pattern to the skin for use as excision lines for skin removal forming a hole in the skin flap by drawing a linear incision line extending from the adjacent corner of the rhomboid opening and between the dots representing the incision to be made in the skin to produce the flap;
- excising following the lines of the closed geometric figure marking for removing skin making a hole to be closed;
- and
- making an incision in the skin along the lines between the dots to produce a local flap to cover the hole in the skin
- wherein placement of the surgical template allows orientation of the skin flap such that it avoids distortion of an adjacent tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.