Prosthesis (i.e. – artificial body members) – parts thereof – or ai – Implantable prosthesis – Ligament or tendon
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-14
2003-07-29
Willse, David H. (Department: 3738)
Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or ai
Implantable prosthesis
Ligament or tendon
C623S013120, C623S013190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06599319
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
A prosthetic ligament for use in reconstructive surgery is disclosed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A ligament is a band of tissue, usually white and fibrous, that serves to connect bones. For example, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the femur to the tibia. A torn ACL is the most common serious ligamentatious injury to the knee joint. Miyasaka, K. et al, “The Incident of Knee Ligament Injuries and the General Population,” American Journal of Knee Surgery, 4:3-8, 1991.
Prior attempts have been made to create a suitable prosthetic ligament, but none have received acceptance by the medical community. Those prior attempts include prosthetic ligaments made from: single filament and multi-filament expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), see Bolton, C. W. et al, “The GORE-TEX™ Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Prosthetic Ligament,”
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
, 196:202-213, Jun. 1985; multi-filament polyethylene terephthalate (PET), see U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,819; and lightly or tightly braided polyester filaments, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,543. These materials failed because over time the reconstructed knee lost stability that arose from fibril breakage caused by flexing fatigue or rubbing, and/or filament stretching (creep). See Young, F. A. et al, “Artificial Anterior Cruciate Ligament Research At The Medical University Of South Carolina,”
MUSC Orthopaedic Journal
, 3:37-38, Jun. 2000.
Accordingly, there is a need for a prosthetic ligament that overcomes the problems described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A prosthetic ligament includes a cord of thermotropic liquid crystal filaments. The cord preferably comprises multi-filament thermotropic liquid crystal filaments. The cord has an eye spliced at each of its ends.
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Bolton, C.W. et al, “The GORE-TEX(™) Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Prosthetic Ligament,” Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 196:202-213, Jun. 1985.
Young, F.A. et al, “Artificial Anterior Cruciate Ligament Research at the Medical University of South Carolina,” MUSC Orthopaedic Journal, 3:37-38, Jun. 2000.
Knudsen Robert B.
Nye Richard E.
Celanese Advanced Materials, Inc.
Hammer III Robert H.
Jackson Suzette J.
Willse David H.
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