| abstract |
A surgical spacer 8 is provided which is useful in preventing the formation of granulation tissue or scarring as a result of the suturing of skin tissue in a patient. The spacer comprises a generally disc-shaped body 10 with a top surface 12 and a bottom surface 14. A first pair of spaced apart apertures, 16 through which opposite ends of suture thread passing through a patients skin are threaded are defined in the body 10. A second pair of spaced apart apertures 17 may also be defined in the body 10. A depression is defined in the bottom surface of the body around the apertures to displace them off the surface of the skin when the bottom surface of the spacer is placed in contact with the skin. The suture thread is then knotted against an upper surface of the spacer. |