Implantable support apparatus and method of using same
First Claim
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1. An implantable support apparatus comprising:
- a sheet of a flexible biocompatible material having first and second end portions, a first pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said first end portion and a second pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said second end portion; and
first and second threading mechanisms, each of said threading mechanisms having a pair of substantially tubular projections insertable into a selected pair of said apertures to facilitate threading of sutures through said first and second pairs of apertures.
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Abstract
An implantable support apparatus includes a sheet of a flexible biocompatible material having apertures formed through end portions thereof to provide suture holes. A plurality of relatively larger apertures are formed through an intermediate portion of the sheet located between the end portions of the sheet to promote adhesion and improve integration of the apparatus into a patient'"'"'s body. Threading mechanisms having elongated tubular projections are inserted into the apparatus at the end portions to facilitate threading sutures through such apertures.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An implantable support apparatus comprising:
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a sheet of a flexible biocompatible material having first and second end portions, a first pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said first end portion and a second pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said second end portion; and
first and second threading mechanisms, each of said threading mechanisms having a pair of substantially tubular projections insertable into a selected pair of said apertures to facilitate threading of sutures through said first and second pairs of apertures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10)
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8. An implantable support apparatus comprising:
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a sheet of a flexible biocompatible material having first and second end portions and a longitudinal axis extending through said first and second end portions of said sheet, a first pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said first end portion and a second pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said second end portion, a third pair of said apertures extending through said sheet near said first end portion and spaced axially from said first pair of said apertures, a fourth pair of said apertures extending through said sheet near said second end portion and spaced axially from said second pair of said apertures, said first and third pairs of said apertures and said second and fourth pairs of said apertures being arranged so that, upon folding a part of each of said first and second end portions axially toward the opposite end portion, a folded end portion is formed at each end of said sheet in which said first and third pairs of apertures are aligned and said second and fourth pairs of apertures are aligned to provide a reinforced suture holes at each of said folded end portions; and
first and second threading mechanisms, each of said threading mechanisms having a pair of substantially tubular projections insertable into a selected pair of said apertures to facilitate threading of sutures through said first and second pairs of apertures.
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9. An implantable support apparatus comprising:
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a sheet of a flexible biocompatible material having first and second end portions, a first pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said first end portion and a second pair of apertures extend through said sheet near said second end portion each of said first and second pairs of apertures has a first diameter, the biocompatible material comprising a biological tissue material;
another plurality of apertures extending through said sheet at locations spaced from and intermediate said first and second pairs of apertures, each of said another plurality of apertures having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter so that, when said apparatus is implanted, surrounding tissue embeds into said another plurality second apertures to facilitate integration of said apparatus into the surrounding tissue; and
first and second threading mechanisms, each of said threading mechanisms having a pair of substantially tubular projections insertable into a selected pair of said apertures to facilitate threading of sutures through said first and second pairs of apertures.
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Specification