US 5,458,636 A · Prosthetic device for repair and replacement of fibrous connective tissue

Abstract

A sterile, surgically implantable prosthetic device for replacement of fibrous connective tissue is disclosed. The invention includes a series of nonabsorbable longitudinal threads that accept longitudinal stresses, and a series of closely spaced, nonabsorbable lateral fibers that spread stresses experienced by various ones of the longitudinal threads to adjacent longitudinal threads. These components in combination substantially enhance durability, and allow the present invention to accommodate multicentered axes of rotation. The invention also preferably includes a bioabsorbable sheet disposed on one side of the nonabsorbable-fiber sheet. This sheet encourages tissue ingrowth and vascularization, and also establishes a barrier around the nonabsorbable components that protects surrounding tissue structures from abrasion and guards the nonabsorbable components against biological degradation.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A replacement device for fibrous connective tissue, the device having a generally tubular form and comprising:

a. a series of nonabsorbable lateral fibers arranged in parallel and spaced apart by a distance adequate to allow cellular ingrowth;
b. a series of nonabsorbable longitudinal threads arranged in parallel and woven through the lateral fibers such that longitudinal force applied along various ones of the threads is partially transmitted, via the fibers, to adjacent threads, the adjacent longitudinal threads being spaced apart by a distance exceeding the distance between the adjacent lateral fibers and projecting beyond the lateral fibers for attachment to an anatomical structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Prosthetic device for repair and replacement of fibrous connective tissue

Life of this patent

Prosthetic device for repair and replacement of fibrous connective tissue

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18