Patent ID: 8864796
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A wound closure system comprising: (a) a first skin anchor including a skin-penetrating barb, the first skin anchor adapted to be attached to external skin tissue on a first side of a wound via the skin-penetrating barb; (b) a second skin anchor having the same configuration as the first skin anchor, the second skin anchor adapted to be attached to external skin tissue on an opposite second side of the wound via a skin-penetrating barb of the second skin anchor; (c) a tensioning apparatus removably attached to the second skin anchor, the tensioning apparatus including a rotary spool for winding a line and a coil spring attached to the spool for rotating the spool, wherein the rotary spool is configured such that the rotary spool defines a winding axis that is generally perpendicular to a surface of the external skin tissue at the second side where the second skin anchor is to be attached when the tensioning apparatus is attached to the second skin anchor; and (d) a line adapted to extend between the first skin anchor and the tensioning apparatus across the wound, the line being attached to the rotary spool; (e) wherein once the coil spring is wound by a user, the coil spring of the tensioning apparatus is adapted to automatically unwind to rotate the spool to provide continuous tension on the line to draw the first skin anchor and the second skin anchor toward each other.