Inventors:
Gregory A. Demopulos - Mercer Island WA
Stephen A. Yencho - Stanford CA
David A. Herrin - Seattle WA
Neil G. McIlvaine - Seattle WA
Michael D. Nelson - Seattle WA
Milton R. Sigelmann - Seattle WA
Jose T. V. de Castro - Newtown MA
George Selecman - Marblehead MA
John Collins - Ipswich MA
Imraan Aziz - Stanford CA
Gorm Bressner - Providence RI
Assignee:
Omeros Medical Systems, Inc. - Seattle WA
International Classification:
A61F 208
Abstract:
The damaged portion of an injured tendon or ligament (C) ("connective cord") is inserted into a thin, hollow sleeve (100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 160, 180, 200, 240, 260, 270, 300, 390, generically designated "S") and is connected to the sleeve (S) such that the cord-sleeve combination can immediately withstand normal tensile forces. the interconnection can be mechanical, such as by pins (22, 22', 148, 150, 164, 188, 190, 206, 206', 210, 226, 230, 238, 239, 266, 286, 308) extending through the sleeve (S) and cord (C). The sleeve (S) can be bioabsorbable over a sufficiently long period of time that the cord (C) is healed by the time the sleeve (S) is absorbed.