Abstract: A fabric can comprise yarns comprising less than about 30 denier total and less than about 10 denier per filament; a density of greater than about 177 yarns per cm; and a thickness of less than about 3.2 mil. The fabric can further comprises a weight of less than about 60 g/m2. The fabric can have performance characteristics equivalent to or greater than those in conventional implantable fabrics. A method of making such a fabric can include twisting together filaments into a multifilament yarn; passing adjacent yarns into a loom in parallel so as to allow the yarns to be woven together more closely; maintaining a consistent tension on the yarns during placement of the yarns on a loom beam and during weaving; and or subjecting the fabric to increased heat and pressure so as to compress the yarns more tightly.

Abstract: A fabric cutting system and/or method can include a mandrel having a body and first and second legs, a chuck, the chuck configured to receive either one of the legs or body to rotatingly support the mandrel. The mandrel can be rotated and the fabric mounted on the mandrel can be cut about the leg at a location beyond the end of the other leg. One of the legs can include a leg extension removable from a leg base that when removed allows the other leg to be cut beyond the end of the leg base. The fabric can be cut with a cutting laser, which may be a multi-axis laser, and/or have low power.

Abstract: A fabric cutting system and/or method can include a mandrel having a body and first and second legs, a centered chuck, and an offset chuck, each chuck configured to receive either one of the legs or body to rotatingly support the mandrel between the chucks. When one of the legs is inserted into the centered chuck and the mandrel body is inserted into the offset chuck, the mandrel can be rotated and the fabric mounted on the mandrel can be cut about the leg at a location beyond the end of the other leg. One of the legs can include a leg extension removable from a leg base that when removed allows the other leg to be cut beyond the end of the leg base. The fabric can be cut with a cutting laser, which may be a multi-axis laser, and/or have low power.

Abstract: A fabric cutting system and/or method can include a mandrel having a body and first and second legs, a centered chuck, and an offset chuck, each chuck configured to receive either one of the legs or body to rotatingly support the mandrel between the chucks. When one of the legs is inserted into the centered chuck and the mandrel body is inserted into the offset chuck, the mandrel can be rotated and the fabric mounted on the mandrel can be cut about the leg at a location beyond the end of the other leg. One of the legs can include a leg extension removable from a leg base that when removed allows the other leg to be cut beyond the end of the leg base. The fabric can be cut with a cutting laser, which may be a multi-axis laser, and/or have low power.

Abstract: A continuous loop of material for use in mammals, particularly humans. One embodiment may have an air entanglement section therein and method of making the same. Another embodiment includes a hollow braided length having a first inner section and a second inner section, the sections formed by radially inserting the ends into the hollow braid and passing it along a portion of the hollow interior. These embodiments may also include a bone engagement member incorporated therein. A further embodiment is a loop assembly having a length of fiber, the length of fiber having two ends, and a bone engagement member having an end receiving member to securely receive the two respective ends therein.

Abstract: An elongation resistant fabric, devices, and methods can include an elongation resistant yarn laid in a knit structure of the fabric between knit loops in selected adjacent wales and partially about the loop in one adjacent wale in predetermined courses. In this manner, the fabric can be adapted to resist elongation in a walewise direction along the length of the fabric. The elongation resistant fabric can be a mesh fabric. In a mesh fabric, the size and a shape of pores in the fabric can be maintained when the fabric is pulled in the walewise direction. The elongation resistant yarn can have a diameter larger than the individual diameters of other yarns in the fabric. The elongation resistant yarn can be, for example, a monofilament yarn, such as a polypropylene or polyester monofilament yarn.

Abstract: A compressible resilient fabric can include a ground layer of knitted yarn, and a loop layer comprising a plurality of loops of yarn, each loop having a point knit into the ground layer. The fabric can be compressible from an non-compressed configuration, in which each loop has an apex extending substantially perpendicularly outward from the ground layer, into a compressed configuration, in which each loop is collapsed onto the ground layer. The fabric can further be resilient so as to substantially resume the non-compressed configuration when compression is relieved. The loop layer yarn can include a multifilament yarn having a high denier per filament ratio. The ground layer yarn can include a yarn shrinkable substantially more than the loop layer yarn. The loops can be densely knit so as to support the extension of the loops outward from the ground layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides articles useful in medical applications including the treatment of heart diseases, and methods for producing the articles. Embodiments include warp knitted fabrics, both single and multilayer, medical articles and methods of making the same.