BRAIDED SURGICAL IMPLANTS
A strand that can be used to support repair of a soft tissue injury is disclosed. The strand comprises high strength collagen fibers and high strength biocompatible fibers, such as polyethylene fibers arranged into a strand that can be used as part of a suture or other scaffold for the repair of joints and soft tissues, such as ligaments and tendons. The fibers may be over-braided around a central core, which is itself comprised of two or more fibers. The high strength collagen fibers are strong enough to withstand the stresses imposed by industrial braiding machines and processes.
1 .- 15 . (canceled)
16 . A braided construct, comprising:
a first strand braided together with a second strand,
wherein, prior to the first strand being braided together with the second strand, the first strand is a first non-braided yet twisted strand that comprises a first fiber twisted around an additional fiber, wherein the first fiber is one of a first high strength collagen fiber and a first high strength polyethylene fiber, and wherein the additional fiber is the other of the first high strength collagen fiber and the first high strength polyethylene fiber,
wherein the second strand comprises at least one of a second high strength collagen fiber and a second high strength polyethylene fiber.
17 . The braided construct of claim 16 , wherein the second strand comprises said second high strength polyethylene fiber.
18 . The braided construct of claim 16 , wherein the second strand is a single fiber which is said second high strength polyethylene fiber.
19 . The braided construct suture of claim 16 , wherein the second strand comprises both the second high strength collagen fiber and the second high strength polyethylene fiber.
20 . The braided construct of claim 19 , wherein, prior to the first strand being braided together with the second strand, the second high strength collagen fiber and the second high strength polyethylene fiber form a second non-braided yet twisted strand.
21 . The braided construct of claim 16 further comprising a third strand braided together with the first strand and the second strand.
22 . The braided construct of claim 21 , wherein the third strand comprises at least one of a third high strength collagen fiber and a third high strength polyethylene fiber.
23 . The braided construct of claim 16 braided around a central core.
24 . The braided construct of claim 23 , wherein the central core comprises two or more fibers.
25 . The braided construct of claim 16 , wherein the first high strength collagen fiber has a first ultimate tensile strength, and wherein the first high strength polyethylene fiber has a second ultimate tensile strength, and wherein the first ultimate tensile strength is at least 5% of the second ultimate tensile strength.
26 . The braided construct of claim 25 , wherein the first ultimate tensile strength is no more than 15% of the second ultimate tensile strength.
27 . The braided construct of claim 16 , wherein the first high strength collagen fiber has an ultimate tensile strength of at least 80 MPa.
28 . The braided construct of claim 27 , wherein the first high strength collagen fiber has a modulus of elasticity of at least 1200 MPa.
29 . The braided construct suture of claim 28 , wherein the first high strength collagen fiber has a strain break between 4% and 12% elongation.
30 . The braided construct of claim 29 , wherein the first high strength collagen fiber has an average fiber diameter between 90 μm and 180 μm.
31 . A method of manufacture comprising:
braiding together a first strand with a second strand to form a braided construct,
wherein, prior to said braiding together, the first strand is a first non-braided yet twisted strand comprising a first fiber twisted around an additional fiber, wherein the first fiber is one of a first high strength collagen fiber and a first high strength polyethylene fiber, and wherein the additional fiber is the other of the first high strength collagen fiber and the first high strength polyethylene fiber,
wherein the second strand comprises at least one of a second high strength collagen fiber and a second high strength polyethylene fiber.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the second strand comprises said second high strength polyethylene fiber.
33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the second strand is a single fiber which is said second high strength polyethylene fiber.
34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the second strand comprises both the second high strength collagen fiber and the second high strength polyethylene fiber.
35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein prior to said braiding together, the second high strength collagen fiber and the second high strength polyethylene fiber form a second non-braided yet twisted strand.