Importance

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Abstract

A nasal splint device for retaining a traumatized nose after surgery or injury, and method of applying the nasal splint. A flexible inner splint portion adapted for direct application to nasal skin includes a planar sheet of semi-rigid polymer material having opposing lateral portions and a central bridge portion defined by a pair of substantially parallel outer surface grooves for articulation of the inner splint portion and having elongated cutouts defining a lower dorsal portion of the central bridge portion and lateral portions. A compressible polymeric foam inner layer is attached to the inner sheet material and coextensive with the lateral portions and bridge portion, with a pair of inner foam recesses substantially coextensive with the parallel outer surface grooves. A tacky layer of medical-grade adhesive overlies the inner surface of the foam for direct application to the nasal skin. The flexible inner splint portion, foam layer and tacky adhesive layer form an integral splint member adaptable to individual nasal application by trimming to fit. A compound splint is formed by joining the inner splint portion with a splint stabilizer member includes a thin sheet of malleable metal with a matching stabilizer bridge portion and lateral wing portions forming a T-shape. The stabilizer bridge portion is sufficiently large to overlie a major part of the lower dorsal portion of the lower dorsal portion of the central bridge portion of the integral splint member. Adhesive or another attachment source is provided for attaching the stabilizer bridge portion adjacent the lateral wing portions of the splint stabilizer member to the inner splint portion between the outer grooves along the central bridge portion.

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First Claim