Surgical vessel closing pressure device with pressure sensitive film
Various embodiments include a vessel clamping pressure device that is configured to receive suture threads extending from the closure of a vascular vessel of a patient, and maintaining tension on suture threads between the patient and the vessel clamping pressure device to apply pressure to the patient so as to apply a clamping pressure to the vascular vessel to facilitate clotting. In some embodiments, a pressure applying surface may include a pressure sensitive film configured to change color in response to pressure applied to the patient by the pressure applying surface the patient.
1 . A vessel clamping pressure device, comprising:
a pressure applying surface including a first slit there through, wherein the first slit extends through a thickness of the pressure applying surface and extends from a lateral edge of the pressure applying surface toward a central portion of the pressure applying surface, the pressure applying surface being configured to apply pressure to skin of a patient at a site of a wound closure;
a support structure comprising a hollow portion and a second slit there through, wherein at least a portion of the pressure applying surface is transparent or translucent, wherein the second slit extends through the support structure from a first end of the support structure coupled to the pressure applying surface to a second end of the support structure opposed to the first end, and wherein the second slit is open along a lateral side of the support structure that extends between the first end and the second end;
a pressure-sensitive film secured to the pressure applying surface on one side and having an opposed side configured to be patient-facing when applied to the patient, wherein the pressure-sensitive film is configured to change color in response to pressure being applied to the skin of the patient by the pressure applying surface, wherein such a color change of the pressure-sensitive film is observable looking through a transparent or translucent portion of the pressure applying surface; and
a spindle positioned within the hollow portion of the support structure, wherein the spindle is configured to rotate within the hollow portion between at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position and includes a third slit there through,
wherein in the first rotational position of the spindle the first, second, and third slits are aligned and configured to receive a suture thread there through, and wherein in the second rotational position the third slit is not aligned with the first and second slits and will bind the suture thread between the spindle and the support structure.
2 . The vessel clamping pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure applying surface is wider than the support structure.
3 . The vessel clamping pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive film is applied in a strip adjacent to the perimeter of the pressure applying surface.
4 . The vessel clamping pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive film is comprises one or more patches that are applied to the pressure applying surface.
5 . The vessel clamping pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive film is applied to a patient facing surface of the pressure applying surface so that the pressure-sensitive film is configured to be applied in contact with contacts the skin of the patient when the vessel clamping pressure device is applied to the patient.
6 . The vessel clamping pressure device of claim 1 , further comprising wherein the pressure-sensitive film positioned between a first structure coupled to the support structure and a cover sheet secured to the pressure-sensitive film on a patient-facing side of the pressure-sensitive film that is positioned and configured to be applied in contact with the skin of the patient when the vessel clamping pressure device is applied to the patient.
7 . The vessel clamping pressure device of claim 1 , wherein the hollow portion extends completely through the support structure in a first direction and the second slit intersects the hollow portion laterally and extends across a length of the support structure in a second direction extending away from the pressure applying surface.
8 . A method of closing a wound, comprising:
providing a vessel clamping pressure device that comprises:
a pressure applying surface including a first slit there through, wherein the first slit extends through a thickness of the pressure applying surface and extends from a lateral edge of the pressure applying surface toward a central portion of the pressure applying surface, the pressure applying surface being configured to apply pressure to skin of a patient at a site of the wound closure;
a support structure coupled to the pressure applying surface, the support structure comprising a hollow portion and a second slit there through, wherein at least a portion of the pressure applying surface is transparent or translucent, wherein the second slit extends through the support structure from a first end of the support structure coupled to the pressure applying surface to a second end of the support structure opposed to the first end, and wherein the second slit is open along a lateral side of the support structure that extends between the first end and the second end;
a pressure-sensitive film secured to the pressure applying surface on one side and having an opposed side configured to be patient-facing when applied to the patient, wherein the pressure-sensitive film is configured to change color in response to pressure being applied to the skin of the patient by the pressure applying surface; and
a spindle positioned within the hollow portion of the support structure, wherein the spindle is configured to rotate within the hollow portion between at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position and includes a third slit there through;
positioning the spindle in the first rotational position to align the first and second slits with the third slit;
inserting a broad side of a portion of sutures extending from the wound through the aligned first, second and third slits of the vessel clamping pressure device;
pressing the vessel clamping pressure device against the wound while tensioning the sutures until the pressure-sensitive film changes color as observed by looking through the transparent or translucent portion of the pressure applying surface; and
rotating the spindle to the second rotational position to bind the sutures between the spindle and the support structure to maintain tension on the sutures.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein looking through the transparent or translucent portion of the pressure applying surface includes looking through a portion of the pressure applying surface that is wider than the support structure.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the vessel clamping pressure device further comprises a cover sheet secured to the pressure-sensitive film on a patient-facing side of the pressure-sensitive film, wherein pressing the vessel clamping pressure device against the wound includes pressing the cover sheet against the skin of the patient.