Patent ID: 8142419

Claim:
A reduced-pressure, wound-closure system for providing a closing force to a surface wound on a patient, the reduced-pressure, wound-closure system comprising: a first attachment member for releasably attaching to a first portion of the patient's epidermis proximate an edge of the surface wound; a second attachment member for releasably attaching to a second portion of the patient's epidermis proximate the edge of the surface wound, wherein the first attachment member is spaced from the second attachment member; a sealed contracting member coupled to the first attachment member and the second attachment member and configured to contract under reduced pressure, the sealed contracting member comprising: a contracting manifold material having a first side and a second, patient-facing side, and a peripheral edge, a first sealing member disposed proximate the first side of the contracting manifold material, a second sealing member disposed proximate the second, patient-facing side of the contracting manifold material, and a peripheral sealing member disposed against the peripheral edge of the contracting manifold material, wherein the first sealing member, second sealing member, and peripheral sealing member are pneumatically sealed to one another, wherein the contracting manifold material is pneumatically sealed from the surface wound; and wherein a closing force is developed between the first attachment member and the second attachment member when reduced pressure is supplied to the sealed contracting member.