PLIABLE SILK MEDICAL DEVICE
An implantable, pliable knitted silk mesh for use in human soft tissue support and repair having a particular knit pattern that substantially prevents unraveling and preserves the stability of the mesh when cut, the knitted mesh including at least two yarns laid in a knit direction and engaging each other to define a plurality of nodes.
1 . A process for making a pliable, knitted surgical mesh, the process comprising the steps of:
knitting a first silk yarn in a first wale direction;
knitting a second silk yarn in a second wale direction;
knitting a third silk yarn in a first course direction; and
knitting a fourth silk yarn in a second course direction;
thereby obtaining the pliable knitted surgical mesh.
2 . The process of claim 1 wherein one of the first or the second silk yarns are knitted using the knit pattern 3/1-1/1-1/3-3/3.
3 . The process of claim 2 wherein the other of the first or the second silk yarns are knitted using the knit pattern 1/1-1/3-3/3-3/1.
4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the two movements in the wale direction occur on separate needle beds using a knitting machine having two needle beds.
5 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the two movements in the wale direction occur on separate needle beds using a knitting machine having two needle beds.
6 . The process of claim 3 , wherein the two movements in the wale direction occur on separate needle beds using a knitting machine having two needle beds.
7 . The process of claim 1 wherein the silk yarns are made of a nine filaments twisted, and sericin depleted silk fibers.
8 . A surgical mesh made using the process of claim 1 .
9 . A surgical mesh made using the process of claim 2 .
10 . A surgical mesh made using the process of claim 3 .
11 . A surgical mesh made using the process of claim 4 .
12 . A surgical mesh made using the process of claim 7 .