Prosthetic repair fabric with erosion resistant edge

A prosthetic repair fabric for repairing a tissue or muscle wall defect, the prosthetic repair fabric comprising:

• a layer of fabric that is susceptible to the formation of adhesions with and erosion into tissue and organs, the layer of fabric including first and second surfaces and a fabric edge extending from the first surface to the second surface, the first surface adapted to face the muscle or tissue wall defect and the second surface adapted to face away from the defect;
• and
• an edge barrier that inhibits erosion into tissue and organs and inhibits the formation of adhesions, the edge barrier being disposed at all times over the fabric edge, the edge barrier having an inner surface that is spaced from the fabric edge in a direction normal to fabric edge to form a gap between the inner face of the edge barrier and the fabric edge to inhibit erosion of the tissue and organs by the fabric edge and to inhibit the formation of adhesions to the fabric edge.

A prosthetic repair fabric for repairing a tissue or muscle wall defect, the prosthetic repair fabric comprising:

• a body of implantable, biocompatible repair fabric, the body including first and second surfaces and a body edge that extends from the first surface to the second surface, the body including first and second layers joined to each other along an inverted seam that extends inwardly from the body edge and between the first and second layers to inhibit erosion of the tissue and organs.

A prosthetic repair fabric for repairing a tissue or muscle wall defect, the prosthetic repair fabric comprising:

• a body of implantable, biocompatible repair fabric, the body including first and second surfaces and a body edge extending from the first surface to the second surface, the first surface adapted to face the muscle or tissue wall defect and the second surface adapted to face away from the defect, the body including first and second layers, each of the first and second layers having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface of the first layer forming the first surface of the body and the outer surface of the second layer forming the second surface of the body with the inner surface of the first layer facing the inner surface of the second layer, the first and second layers being joined to each other along at least one seam, the at least one seam being disposed inwardly of the body edge between the inner surfaces of the first and second layers to inhibit erosion of the tissue and organs by the body edge.

A method of fabricating a prosthetic repair fabric for repairing a tissue or muscle wall defect, the method comprising:

• (a) joining an outer edge of a first layer of implantable, biologically compatible material to an outer edge of a second layer of implantable, biologically compatible material, each of the first and second layers including first and second surfaces, the first and second layers being joined to each other with the first surface of the first layer facing the second surface of the second layer;
• and
• (b) subsequent to step (a), inverting the first and second layers so that the second surface of the first layer is facing the first surface of the second layer and the outer edges of the first and second layers extend inwardly between the second surface of the first layer and the first surface of the second layer, thereby isolating the outer edges of the first and second layers from tissue and organs so as to inhibit erosion into the tissue and organs when the prosthetic repair fabric is implanted to repair the tissue or muscle wall defect.