Abstract: A swellable polymer based fiber and a method of preparing the same optionally comprising glycol, lecithin and optionally an antimicrobial metal species suitable, for example, for medical applications including wound dressings. A method of manufacture may comprise fiber extrusion or spinning involving one or a plurality of in-series coagulation baths to add single or multiple antimicrobial metal species to the as-formed fiber.

Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable prosthetic device for the repair of connective tissue in an animal or a human. In one embodiment, an implantable prosthetic device (100) for the repair of connective tissue (500) in an animal or human is disclosed which comprises a biocompatible pad (101) having an open structure to provide a scaffold for the in-growth of tissue into the pad; and a reinforcement region (206) attached to or formed integrally with the pad. The device is arranged so that it can be attached to tissue by forming a puncture (301) either a) within the reinforcement region, or b) in an area of the pad which is inboard of the reinforcement region, so that a suture (300) can be located through the puncture, the reinforcement region serving to support tensile loading in the device during use by resisting pull-through of the suture.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

Abstract: A method of forming an implantable tissue engineered construct, a bioreactor for forming a tissue engineered construct, and a tissue engineered construct itself are disclosed The method includes seeding a scaffold with cells to form a tissue construct; locating the tissue construct in a space defined by a tissue construct support element; locating the tissue construct support element within a bioreactor; and operating a load applicator of the bioreactor to apply a cyclical compressive mechanical load to the tissue construct, to stimulate the deposition of tissue matrix in the tissue construct, in which the tissue construct, the tissue construct support element and the load applicator are arranged so that the load applicator can at least initially contact both the tissue construct and the tissue construct support element, so that at least part of a total load generated by the load applicator is borne by the tissue construct support element.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

Abstract: A swellable polymer based fibre and a method of preparing the same optionally comprising glycol, lecithin and optionally an antimicrobial metal species suitable, for example, for medical applications including wound dressings. A method of manufacture may comprise fibre extrusion or spinning involving one or a plurality of in-series coagulation baths to add single or multiple antimicrobial metal species to the as-formed fibre.

Abstract: An implantation assembly (16) has a guide element (22) for a ligament (18); a pulling element (24) comprising a pulling loop (26); and a manipulating loop (28). The guide element has a pulling aperture (36) towards a leading end (32), a manipulating aperture (38) towards a trailing end (34), and a connecting arrangement (40) for the ligament. The pulling and manipulating loops pass through the respective apertures. When the guide element emerges from a bone tunnel mouth, the manipulating loop is used to manipulate the guide element to a position where it overlies the tunnel mouth. The manipulating loop is secured to the pulling element and arranged such that a tensile load can be applied to the pulling element without generating a tensile load in the manipulating loop which could otherwise cause the guide element to be manipulated towards the anchoring position during passage along the bone tunnels.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guiding portion comprising a guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on the bone; and locating means for locating the tool guiding portion at a predetermined position with respect to the bone such that the guide aperture has a fixed orientation with respect to the bone. The locating means comprises: a locating member having a first locating surface, the first locating surface being adapted to conform to either a predetermined surface of cartilage covering a predetermined articular surface of the bone or a predicted surface of cartilage covering, or assumed to be covering, the predetermined articular surface of the bone; and an adapter member having a second locating surface and being adapted to attach to the locating member in an operative position in which the second locating surface is adapted to engage the predetermined articular surface of the bone if the cartilage is removed or not present.

Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable prosthetic device, a patch, for the repair of connective tissue in an animal or a human. In one embodiment, a biocompatible repair patch (10) for repair of human or animal tissue is disclosed which comprises a tensile load-bearing component in the form of a pre-formed array (13) of a looped configuration in a desired pattern and having at least one return end, said array being formed of an elongate filamentary material; and a base layer (11) of non-woven fibrous material. The pre-formed array is attached to one surface of the base layer so that the pre-formed array retains its configuration while being handled during surgery. The at least one return end serves to receive a suture or the like to attach the patch to tissue. The fibres of the base layer are entangled with the looped configuration so as to attach the array to the base layer and substantially to maintain the desired pattern.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

Abstract: An implantation assembly (16) comprises a guide element (22) for a ligament (18); a pulling element (24) comprising a pulling loop (26); and a manipulating loop (28). The guide element has a pulling aperture (36) towards a leading end (32), a manipulating aperture (38) towards a trailing end (34), and a connecting arrangement (40) for the ligament. The pulling and manipulating loops pass through the respective apertures. When the guide element emerges from a bone tunnel mouth, the manipulating loop is used to manipulate the guide element to a position where it overlies the tunnel mouth. The manipulating loop is secured to the pulling element and arranged such that a tensile load can be applied to the pulling element without generating a tensile load in the manipulating loop which could otherwise cause the guide element to be manipulated towards the anchoring position during passage along the bone tunnels.

Abstract: A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

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 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.