Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Bandage structure – Skin laceration or wound cover
Patent
1996-09-19
1998-11-10
Dvorak, Linda C.
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Bandage structure
Skin laceration or wound cover
602 45, A61F 1300
Patent
active
058336419
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a device for use in promoting wound healing (whether the wound be the result of an accident, a surgical wound or a wound caused by disease) which allows guided tissue repair so as to encourage the regeneration of tissue of normal function and morphology.
BACKGROUND
The body's capacity to repair itself after accidental wounding or after surgery is often defective because the tissues rebuild with an incorrectly oriented or even with an unoriented structure, or because cells of one type push cells of other types away from their correct positions within the tissue. For example, fibroblasts often form fibrous tissue during wound healing that blocks nerve cell regeneration, or prevents the correct connection of nerves to prosthetic devices. In a similar way, when gums heal after tooth replacement, competition occurs between epithelia and fibroblasts. Problems may also arise with the healing of tendons that have been cut or damaged. Thus, synovial cells become unoriented and stick to epithenon cells, with the result that tendons after healing may adhere to the wall of the synovial canal within which they lie. Furthermore, there is difficulty in rejoining the ends of the tendons themselves, since the tendon is under tension, with the result that a gap may exist between the ends of the cut or torn tendon. In order to achieve a satisfactory repair, this gap has to be bridged by correctly aligned epithenon cells. Even dermal wounds often repair with an incorrect structure, which may result in pain or disfigurement. In the same way, inappropriate cell formations may occur during the healing of abdominal or cardiovascular surgical wounds.
A further problem in the healing of wounds, is the possible introduction of inappropriate cells, such as inflammatory cells into regions of the wound. For example, the accumulation of inflammatory cells in synovial sheath and epitenon in the healing of rat flexor tendons is described by B. Wojciak and J. F. Crossan, Clin. Exp. Immunol. 1993; 93: 108-114.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first aspect of the present invention is a device for use in wound healing. The device includes a substrate formed of a biologically-acceptable material which has a series of grooves and ridges formed in a surface of the substrate.
A further aspect of the present invention is a method of healing a wound by applying the above device in or adjacent the wound.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 shows a fragment of a wound healing device of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Our European Patent Application EP84308230.6 discloses the location of biological cells in a predetermined spatial disposition on a solid nonbiological substrate, by providing the substrate with a plurality of surface discontinuities defining cell adhesion enhanced and/or cell-adhesion orienting zones, for example grooves or ridges. However, it does not address the issue of wound healing. More recently, the microtopographical control of cell behavior by the use of a grooved substrate has been described by Clark et al,; Development 108; 635-644 (1990).
The use of laser holography and microelectronic techniques to make ultrafine gratings and the behavior of these gratings in aligning cells is described by Clark et al Journal of Cell Science 99; 73-77 (1991).
Whilst these publications describe the orientation of cells in vitro, they do not provide a solution for the production of orderly cell formations during healing of wounds in vivo. It is an object of the present invention to address this problem.
Generally speaking, the present invention is based on the use of means for guiding tissue regeneration during wound healing, thereby encouraging the regeneration of tissue of normal function and morphology.
The present invention provides use of a device in wound healing, the device comprising a substrate formed of a biologically-acceptable material, the substrate having thereon means capable of orienting cell growth.
In another aspect, the invention provides the device its
REFERENCES:
patent: 3929583 (1975-12-01), Sharpe et al.
patent: 4231660 (1980-11-01), Remy et al.
patent: 5607607 (1997-03-01), Naiman et al.
P. Clark et al; Topograhical control of cell behaviour; II. multiple grooved substrate, Development vol. 108 (4) 1990.
B. Wojciak & J.F. Crossan; The accumulation of inflammatory cells in synovial sheath and epitenon during adhesion formation in healing rat flexor tendons; Clin Exp Immunol 93 pp. 108-114 (1993).
P. Clark et al; Cell guidance by ultrafine topography in vitro; Journal of Cell Science 99 Part 1 (May 1991).
Curtis Adam Sebastian Genevieve
Wilkinson Christopher David Wicks
Dvorak Linda C.
Lee Kim M.
The University Court of the University of Glasgow
LandOfFree
Wound healing material does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Wound healing material, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Wound healing material will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1511900