Abstract: An appliqué for the skin for the management of scars that includes an elastically deformable woven fabric having an imperforate, tacky gel coating on one side thereof. The fabric is preferably woven from a thread comprising an elastic polyester or polyether fiber such as LYCRA® or Spandex. The gel coating, which is applied to one side of the fabric, is preferably silicone gel. The appliqué is used for the management of hypertrophic skin conditions.

Abstract: A tubing having unitary construction and having a single lumen portion, a multilumen portion and a transition portion therebetween. The single lumen is in fluid communication with each and every lumen comprising the multilumen portion. The tubing may be made in any desired length by means of extrusion. The outer surface of the tubing may be either smooth or grooved and have any desired cross-sectional geometry. Similarly, any of the lumens can be made to have a desired cross-sectional shape and size. Although the tubing can be made from any extrudable material, a preferred material is medical grade silicone clastomer. An extrusion apparatus and a method for making the tubing in a continuous process is described.

Abstract: An elongate elastomeric band having unitary construction which construction includes a silicone sponge differentially compressive portion disposed along the length thereof. The band is dimensioned to encircle the eye of a patient having a detached retina. In use, the band is placed around the eye and surgically attached thereto in an encircling position. The band circumferentially deforms the sclera, particularly the portion of the sclera overlying the area of retinal detachment, the differentially compressive portion forcing the choroid and detached portion of the retina into juxtaposition for reattachment. The band, which includes a closed-cell silicone foam differentially compressive portion along a section of its length, is manufactured by means of extrusion providing an elastomeric, preferably silicone, band having unitary construction and varying in both its outer dimension and its compressibility along the length thereof.

Abstract: An extruded "Y" or bifurcated tube having unitary construction and an extrusion apparatus therefor. The "Y" tube includes three separate tubes, each tube having a central lumen, and a transition portion integral with the tubes and providing physical connection and fluid communication between the individual lumens of the three separate tubes. The first of the three tubes has a first lumen and is first formed by extrusion through a convention extruding die. The extruder die then gradually bifurcates the first tube, providing a gradual transition between the first tube and the second and third tubes. The lumens in the second and third tubes thus formed remain in uninterrupted fluid communication with the lumen of the first tube. The bifurcation takes place with the first tube to form second and third tubes smoothly and over a transition distance which is easily controlled by the extruder die. The bifurcated second and third tubes are continuous with the first tube making the "Y" tube unitary.

Abstract: A unitary tube useful for the conduction of fluids to and from a site within the body of a patient. A particularly preferred embodiment is a drainage tube. The drainage tube, which may be continuously extruded from a biocompatible elastomer, has a variable exterior and interior cross section along its length. The drainage tube has collecting, transition and extension portions. The collecting portion, which has a hollow interior to receive fluids, is temporarily implanted within a wound site or other body cavity to enable body fluids to collect therein. The collecting portion is preferably a flattened tubular member having a width that exceeds the height. The interior wall of the collecting portion has longitudinal ribs or struts to prevent opposing walls from collapsing upon each other. The collecting portion preferably has fenestrations in its wall to permit the passage of body fluids from the surrounding tissue into the hollow interior lumen of the collection portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for making extruded tubing having one or more lumens therein with a variable outer diameter. The apparatus is useful for forming tubing of an extrudable material such as an elastomer or thermoplastic. The extrudable material is forced around a mandrel and through a die aperture over a mandrel wherein the inside surface of the tubing is of uniform diameter along its length but the wall thickness varies throughout its length. Such an apparatus may be used, for example, to make kink-resistant tubing. In one embodiment, the aperture in the extrusion die has a variable diameter while the mandrel remains constant. In a second preferred embodiment, a moveable ring with a central aperture is disposed within the extrusion chamber coaxially with the mandrel. The ring is capable of reciprocal motion in the direction of extrusion. During extrusion, when the moveable ring is moved toward the die opening, it constricts the outer diameter of the tubing thus formed.