Devices and bandages for the treatment or prevention of scars and/or keloids and methods and kits therefor
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsGeoffrey C. Gurtner, Reinhold H. Dauskardt, Michael T. Longaker, Paul Yock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices, bandages, kits and methods are described that can control or regulate the mechanical environment of a wound to ameliorate scar and/or keloid formation. The mechanical environment of a wound includes stress, strain, and any combination of stress and strain. The control of a wound's mechanical environment can be active, passive, dynamic, or static. The devices are configured to be removably secured to a skin surface in proximity to the wound site and shield the wound from endogenous and/or exogenous stress.
Claims104
A device for ameliorating the formation of scars or keloids at a wound site, wherein the device comprises an elastic sheet and a skin adhesive and wherein the device is configured to be removably secured to a skin surface in proximity to the wound site and to controllably shield the wound from endogenous or exogenous stress by applying a compressive strain;
- and
- an applicator configured to stretch the device to a predetermined strain.
A bandage to ameliorate the formation of a scar or keloid at a wound site, wherein the bandage comprises a skin adhesive material and is configured to be removably secured to a skin surface and wherein the bandage has a first tensile stressed configuration at a predetermined strain and a second relaxed configuration;
- and
- an applicator configured to stretch the bandage to the first tensile stressed configuration.
A bandage to ameliorate the formation of a scar or keloid at a wound site, wherein the bandage comprises:
- at least first, second and third configurations and is configured to be removably secured to a skin surface while in the second configuration and is capable of being released from the second configuration to adopt the third configuration, wherein the second configuration is strained relative to the first configuration, and wherein the third configuration controllably shields the wound from endogenous or exogenous stress by imposing a strain on the skin surface using a predetermined strain in the bandage;
- and
- an applicator configured to stretch the bandage from the first configuration to the second configuration having a predetermined strain.
A kit for ameliorating the formation of scars or keloids comprising in packaged combination:
- at least two devices, wherein each device is configured to be removably secured to a skin surface in proximity to a wound site and shield the wound from endogenous or exogenous stress, and
- an applicator configured to stretch each device to a predetermined strain.
A method for ameliorating the formation of scars or keloids comprising:
- stretching a device to a predetermined tensile strain using an applicator, wherein the device comprises an elastic material and a skin adhesive;
- applying the device to a wound using the applicator;
- and
- imposing a strain to the wound using the predetermined strain of the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.