The present invention relates generally to medical treatment systems, and more particularly, to reduced-pressure, linear wound closing bolsters and systems.
Physicians perform millions of surgical procedures each year around the world. Many of the procedures are performed as open surgery and an increasing number are performed using minimally invasive surgery, such as arthroscopic, laparoscopic, and endoscopic procedures. However performed, surgical procedures involve acute wounds, e.g., an incision, in the skin and related tissue. In many instances, the incision is closed at the conclusion of the procedure using a mechanical apparatus, such as staples or sutures, and the wound is merely covered with a dry, sterile bandage.
The use of staples or sutures to close an acute wound may have undesirable side effects. For example, staples and sutures can proximate the wound edges tightly where they are applied, but in between such mechanical closing devices are gaps or areas that are not as tightly closed. This may lead to areas of high stress proximate the closing device interspersed with areas of relatively low stress in between. This may, in turn, influence scarring, healing time, and strength of the wound.