Abstract: A woven surgical cord having interwoven warps (208, 210) and wefts (209, 210) extending over the length of the cord. The cord has an alternating width profile along its length that significantly reduces the tendency for the cord to slip when knotted. The undulations in the width are created by repeating different weave patterns along the length of the cord involving variation of the spacing between the wefts and warps, the relative number of warps and wefts and adjustment of the tension applied to the yarn at the different sections of the cord during manufacture.

Abstract: A surgical cord (100, 200,101)comprising a tubular section along its main length and comprising regions (600, 608, 601) exhibiting different mechanical and/or physical properties resultant from a change in material, pattern type, pattern density, yarn thickness and/or shape. Different regions along the length of the cord are optimised to provide the required extensibility, abrasion resistance and/or stiffness. A tissue core (904) may be incorporated within the tubular cord structure and a means of indicating the tensile loading force applied to the cord may be provided.

Abstract: A medical cord and surgical procedure for the connection of a first tissue site to a second tissue site. The cord comprises a main length having a width and end portions having respective widths being less than the width of the main length. This provides a medical cord that is easy to manipulate during surgical procedures in which the cord may be required to be threaded through apertures and tunnels. The cord is particularly suitable to attach soft tissue, including ligaments and tendons to bone anchorsites and provides a prosthetic scaffold to facilitate tissue ingrowth at the repair site.

Abstract: A set of surgical instruments for use in the implantation of a tissue repair kit after preparation of a bone site having damaged tissue, in which damaged tissue is first removed and an annular groove is formed around the defect site prior to application of the repair kit comprising a bio-compatible pad to fit on the prepared bone site, and an overlying cover sheet to fit in the groove. The set of surgical instruments includes: an introducer cylinder having a hollow driving head at one end for introducing an outer portion of the cover sheet into the groove; a plunger relatively slidable within the cylinder and having a delivery end engageable with the cover sheet so as to move a main portion of the cover sheet towards the bone site with the outer portion of the cover sheet trailing behind the main portion, and a pad-receiving recess defined between the delivery end of the plunger and the inner wall of the cylinder so that a pad can be introduced into the recess to overlie the main portion of the cover sheet.