together the Parts of Wounds or Cuts.
Year: 1886

page_text: together the Parts of Wounds or Cuts.
I, FERDINAND ALFRED REICHARDT, Merchant, of 183, Stiles Street, Elizabeth,
Union County, State of New Jersey, United States of America, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention of an "IMPROVED ADHESIVE SUTURE APPLIANCE FOR
DRAWING AND RETAINING TOGETHER THE PARTS OF WOUNDS OR CUTS" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to dry suture appliances provided with a cementing
compound by which they may be attached to the skin on either side of cuts or
wounds, and combined with means for drawing and holding together their adjacent
edges. And it consists in making such appliances of a suitable fabric coated with
an antiseptic or other adhesive material, and having reinforced edges or reinforced
non-adhesive edges, provided with holes formed therein or fastening devices
attached thereto, through or over which the lacings or fasteners are passed. These
artificial suture edges greatly facilitate the application of such devices and readily
permit of subsequent adjustment of the lacings or fasteners; and the reinforcement
of these edges, adds greatly to their strength.
I thus provide a simple and effective means for bringing together the sides
of wounds or cuts with the requisite amount of pressure or strain on all parts of
the same, and holding the suture positively with the parts in their natural and
normal positions, and without danger of disarrangement, at the same time leaving
the wounds or cuts freely accessible for future examination and treatment.
But to more particularly describe my invention, I will now refer to the
accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1, represents a jagged or compound cut on a forearm, treated by my
improved suture appliance;
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Fig. 2, shows one form of the adhesive device;
Fig. 3, shows another form of the adhesive device;
Figs. 4, to 8, illustrate different ways of lacing or fastening the edges of the
adhesive devices together; and
Figs. 9, 10 and 11, represent suture appliances constructed to surround the body
or limb.
In fig. 1, a represents a forearm injured by the compound cut b, bl, to treat
which by my method and suture appliance, the adhesive devices c, c, made prefer-

page_text: ably of a textile fabric faced on one side with an adhesive substance, antiseptic
or otherwise, are attached to the skin with their edges c¹, c¹, adjacent to the
cut or injured part b. The cord, thread or lacing d, is then passed back and forth
through holes formed in the opposite edges c¹, c¹, or sewed by means of a needle
through the edges of the adhesive devices c, c, and the said edges are thereby
drawn together to close the cut, and bring its sides and edges into close and
intimate contact; and the ends of the lacing d, are then fastened. This is the
general form and application of the suture appliance to cuts or wounds which are
comparatively straight; but when a cut or wound partakes of the form shown,
that is, has two or more branches, then, in applying my improvements, a piece of
the adhesive device or plaster is shaped to fit between the branches 6 and 6¹, and
attached to the skin by adhesion, as at c³, and other adhesive devices c, c, c, are
attached to the skin beyond the cut with their connecting edges c¹, cl, c¹, adjacent
thereto, said edges and the opposed edges of the piece c³, being connected together
by a lacing d, as shown..
These adhesive devices I prefer to make sufficiently large to embrace and cover a
considerable surface of the skin to insure their retention in position as long as is
necessary for the proper healing of the injured part.
Besides the advantages before enumerated belonging to this improved suture
appliance, the suture will be more perfectly formed and all the parts of the cut or
wound held intimately together in their natural positions, by reason of the
retaining and holding power being distributed over and throughout a great extent
of the adjacent flesh, thereby pressing the sides of the cut or wound at the lower
or inner part firmly together, as well as at the upper or outer edge, thus allowing
granulation to proceed in a rapid and perfect manner; and it will be observed that
the appliance is of such a nature that injuries may be quickly and properly treated
by any one, in cases of emergency, when surgical knowledge and skill to make
proper sutures cannot be immediately obtained.
In some cases it may be desirable to extend the suture appliances around the
limb or body, either by using one piece of adhesive material with its opposed
edges secured together over the cut or wound, as shown at fig. 11, or by using two
pieces, as before described, and securing their rear edges c³, c³, fig. 9, together, thus
surrounding the limb or body with the suture appliance. Or, when the part
injured is of considerable circumference, I then propose, as at fig. 10, to connect
the rear edges c³, c³, of the adhesive devices c, c, to an intermediate bandage or
strip of fabric d², by sewing or otherwise.
The devices c, c, may be made of any suitable material, faced with a cementing
substance, as, for instance, adhesive plaster, and they may be made porous or
perforated, as at e, e, fig. 2, for ventilating the skin. The connecting edges c¹, c¹,
constituting the artificial suture edges, may be formed by simply turning over a
part of the plaster on to itself, through which double thickness the lacing may
be sewed; or small eyelets f, f, may be secured therein for the reception of the
lacing or fastening attachment. Or a wire or cord g, fig. 3, may be placed in the
turned over edge to further strengthen or reinforce it, the lacing being passed
through the plaster and around the cord or wire. In this view, fig. 3, the plaster
is shown with several slits formed in its rear end, and said slit parts may be spread
out or separated so as to embrace as large a surface of the flesh as possible or
requisite, as shown in the application, fig. 1. In fig. 4, the connecting artificial
suture edges of the two adhesive devices c, c, are shown with a lacing d, placed
through holes therein, ready to be applied to draw together or close a cut or
wound; the lacing d, being drawn as taut as desired after the adhesive devices c, c,
have been attached in position on the skin; such arrangement saving considerable
time in using the suture appliance.
Or short pieces of cord or tape h, h, may be permanently attached to the edges
of the adhesive devices c, c, and tied together when they are attached to the skin
in position. Fig. 5 shows this form of the suture appliance with some of the cords
or tapes h, h, tied together. This construction is very efficacious, as it permits of

page_text: the easy adjustment or further closing of parts of the cut or wound, without
disturbing other parts.
Instead of a rigid cord or other lacing, an elastic cord may be used to hold the
artificial edges of the suture together, if it is desired to close the cut or wound by
a yielding pressure; or they may be held together by an elastic medium in the
manner shown at fig. 6, in which i, i, represent wires held in the turned over
edges of the adhesive devices, with their ends projecting beyond the same; and
over the projecting ends of the wires i, i, are placed the elastic bands j, j.
Another modification of an elastic fastener is shown at fig. 7, consisting of clasps,
composed of an elastic fabric k, k, and provided at their ends with metal hooks l, l,
formed to catch over the edges of the adhesive devices c, c, and pass through holes
therein, to insure their retention in position.
In fig. 8, the adhesive devices c, c, are shown provided with elastic_edges
composed of strips of an elastic material m, m, attached thereto by sewing or
otherwise, the exposed edges of the elastic strips m, m, being connected together
by means of the cord or lacing d, in the manner herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I do not desire to
confine myself to any particular form or construction of the improved suture
appliance, as other modifications of the same will be suggested by what I have
described, and be within the scope of my invention. What I claim is :-
First. Artificial suture edges of a non-adhesive nature formed on devices
attached by adhesion to the skin, in combination with rigid or elastic lacing or
fasteners for drawing and holding together said non-adhesive edges.
Second. In an appliance for holding the parts of wounds or cuts together, the
combination with textile adhesive devices provided with a non-adhesive reinforced
edge or edges adapted to be attached to the skin at either side of the suture, of
rigid or elastic lacing or fasteners for drawing and holding together the non-
adhesive reinforced edges of the adhesive dévices, which edges are adjacent to the
suture, substantially as set forth.
Third. In a suture appliance, in combination, a piece of adhesive material
having artificial suture edges and adapted in shape to be attached to the skin
between branches of a compound cut or wound, adhesive devices provided with
artificial suture edges adapted to be attached to the skin beyond the cut or wound,
with said edges adjacent thereto, and lacing or fasteners for connecting and holding
together the artificial suture edges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. In a suture appliance, the combination with adhesive devices having
artificial non-adhesive suture edges at their front parts, and lacing or fasteners for
connecting said edges together, of lacing sewed or passed through or fasteners
attached to the rear edges of the adhesive devices, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Fifth. In a suture appliance, adhesive devices formed of suitable fabric, coated
on one side with an adhesive substance, having a non-adhesive reinforced edge or
edges formed by turning the fabric over on to itself, with holes formed or eyelets
secured in said non-adhesive reinforced edge or edges, in combination with a
lacing or fasteners, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
1110
1
CT1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.