ABRA® Adhesive Skin Closure provides non-invasive skin closure of retracted skin defects, leaving nothing behind except a sound primary repair.

Over time this dynamic wound closure system pulls the skin margins together under low tension, closing the wound and accelerating healing. This ABRA® system eliminates the ned to graft by re-approximating the skin margins, resulting in a primary closure. 

Watch this video to see how the ABRA® Adhesive Skin Closure.

[benefits]

• Achieves primary closure
• Eliminates graft and donor site
• Prevents dehiscence
• Enables primary closure after defect excisions
• Applies painlessly at bedside
• Ideal for outpatient use

[features]

• Reduces LOS and OR procedures
• Topically applied at bedside
• Promotes patient mobility
• Reduces pain
• Ideal for children

[systematic reviews]

[key components of the ABRA® Adhesive Skin Closure system]

[how to use]

Step One: Wound Bed Preparation

Prior to installation of the adhesive anchors to ensure skin mobility, please check the following:

• Rolled in wound margins should be excised
• Remove all granulation tissue
• Wound edges should be undermined by 2cm.

Note: If the wound is fresh and the margins are mobile, continue to Step 2.

Step Two: Applying the Adhesive Anchors

Clean the skin area 15cm from wound edges with an alcohol wipe. A skin preparatory wiipe designed to increase skin adhesion is recommended after cleaning. Adhesive anchors must be kept dry to prevent adhesive breakdown.

Bend adhesive anchors to match the curvature of the skin surface on which they will be installed. Gently bend along the length of anchor to create a continuous curve and avoid creating kinks in the anchor frame.

Hold the adhesive anchor by the wire cleat, and peel the release liner from the anchor to expose the skin adhesive. Locate ~ 1cm from wound margin and press onto the skin without stretching the anchor. For wounds with high exudate, locate ~ 2cm from wound margin.

Place adhesive anchors along each wound margin so that they are side-by-side contiqous), but not over-lapping.

Elastomer is installed into opposing pairs. Untensioned elastomer should be trimmed, leaving a minimum 5cm tail extending beyond the cleat at each end.

Step Three: Securing the Elastomer

• Feed the elastomer end through the eye of the wire cleat and draw to the desired tension.

• Holding the wire cleat down with one finger pull the elastomer up to lock.
• The black bars on the elastomer provide a visual indication of elastomer tension. Tension can be set and prescribed based on comparing the bar length on a relaxed elatomer to the bar length on a tensioned elastomer. Recommended tension is 1.25X stretch for small adhesive anchors, and 1.5X stretch for large adhesive anchors.

• Warning: Exceeding 1.5X stretch for the small adhesive anchors or 2X stretch for the large adhesive achors may cause skin blistering.

Step Four: Adjusting Elastomer tension

The silicone cord elastomer can be released and re-set repeatedly, Tension will decrease as the wound margins advance. Re-set elastomer tension at leace once daily.

Step Five: Removing the adhesive anchors

When wound edges are approximated, the system can be left on until the wound has healed - with or without suturing. Remove elastomers first. Separate the tail of the adhesive anchor from the skin. Peel forwards towards wound. A blunt dissector can be used to assist. Any remaining residue can be removed with soap and water, any medical adhesive remover, or left moist and rubbed off.

[frequency of change]

Re-set elastomer tension at least once daily.

[indications]

• For retracted skin defects including, but not limited to:
• Fasciotomies
• Compound fracture wounds
• Dehisced wounds
• Pediatric wounds
• Infected wounds (when ready)
• Pre-surgical skin expansion
• Reinforcing high-tension closures.

[storage]

Store at room temperature. Avoid refrigeration, temperatures in excess of 30˚C and exposure to high humidity.