Wound Exposure Device For Use With Patients Having Excessive And/Or Redundant Tissue And Method Of Use

A multi-ply adhesive wound exposure device formed from a single sheet of two-ply material having a top layer and a backing layer;

• the top layer having an adhesive applied to a surface of the top layer facing the backing layer to removably adhere the top layer and backing layer together;
• the top layer being made from a stretchable material and the backing layer being made from a material which is substantially not stretchable;
• the wound exposure device comprising:
• a body defining a bottom portion, a central portion and an upper portion;
• the portions being separated from each other by upper and lower back cuts in the backing layer which divide the backing layer into a lower portion backing panel, a central portion backing panel and an upper portion backing panel;
• at least one tab associated with each portion of said body;
• each of the tabs being defined in part by a face cut in the top layer which separates the top layer in the area of the tab from the top layer in the area of the body, such that when the tab is pulled away from the top layer, a backing panel associated with the tab is removed from the top layer.

A method of applying a wound exposure device to a patient to support and maintain redundant and/or excess flesh (such as a panniculus) away from a wound (such as an incision) to facilitate healing of the wound;

• the wound exposure device comprising a body having a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion;
• at least said top and bottom portions comprising a top layer having an adhesive applied to a surface of the top layer and a backing layer removably adhered to the top layer facing the backing layer to removably adhere the top layer and backing layer together, the backing layer being made from a substantially non-stretchable material;
• at least the middle portion of the top layer being made from a material stretchable in a machine direction of the material;
• at least one tab associated with each of the top and bottom portions of said body;
• each of the tabs being defined in part by a face cut in the top layer which separates the top layer in the area of the tab from the top layer in the area of the body, such that when the tab is pulled away from the top layer, the backing panel associated with the tab is removed from the top layer;
• the method comprising:
• a) manually retracting the redundant/excess tissue away from the wound and in a cephalad direction;
• b) removing the backing layer from the bottom panel of the film and applying the bottom panel of the film to the patient's redundant/excess tissue;
• c) removing the backing layer from the central panel of the top layer after the bottom panel has been applied to the patient;
• d) while the backing layer is still adhered to the top portion of the device and while still manually retracting the redundant/excess tissue, stretching the middle portion until a top edge of the wound exposure device is proximate the patient's clavicle or jugular notch and then securing the central panel of the wound exposure device to the patient;
• e) removing the backing layer from the upper portion of the wound exposure device and applying the upper portion of the film to the patient.