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US 6,994,719 B2Granted
High strength suture with colored trace at one end
AssigneeArthrex, Inc.
InventorR. Donald Grafton
Life of this patent
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AssigneeArthrex, Inc.
InventorR. Donald Grafton
Estimating the term…
A high strength abrasion resistant surgical suture material with improved tie down characteristics is color coded for visualization and identification purposes. The suture features a multifilament cover formed of strands of ultra high molecular weight long chain polyethylene braided with polyester, nylon or a bioabsorbable material. Selected nylon fibers in the cover are provided in a color contrasting with the other cover fibers to provide an identifiable trace. The cover surrounds a core formed of twisted strands of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. The suture, provided in a #2 size, has the strength of #5 Ethibond, is ideally suited for most orthopedic procedures, and can be attached to a suture anchor or a curved needle. The identifiable trace preferably is provided along one half of the length of the suture, so that when the suture is loaded onto a suture anchor, for example, the two legs of the length of suture on either side of the suture anchor can be readily identified.
A suture strand suitable for use as a suture or ligature comprising a plurality of braided fibers of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, and a plurality of fibers of at least one long chain synthetic polymer or bioabsorbable fiber, the fibers being combined to produce the suture strand, sections of at least one of the plurality of fibers being provided in a color contrasting from the other fibers to provide an identifiable trace along a longitudinal portion of the suture strand which is less than an entire length of the suture stand, at least one other longitudinal portion of the suture strand being provided with no identifiable trace.
A suture assembly comprising:
A suture assembly comprising:
A suture strand suitable for use as a suture or ligature having a longitudinal length and at least an outer cover comprising a plurality of braided fibers, at least one of the fibers being colored to provide an identifiable trace along substantially only one half of the longitudinal length of the suture strand.
A method of making suture comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.