Abstract: The invention relates to an elongate surgical repair product comprising a cable of which bending stiffness can be lowered, which fibrous member is a heat-set cable comprising at least 50 mass % of high-performance polyethylene yarn. The product shows very high tenacity, combined with a relatively high initial bending stiffness that is significantly reduced upon bending or flexing the member, without significant dimensional change; and allows both easy and well-controlled handling and good knot tying characteristics. The invention also relates to a method of making said elongate product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for tying together objects, in particular for fixing hone parts by a surgical cable (10), comprising the steps of laying the surgical cable, having two end parts, around at least part of the objects to be tied together, in particular the bone parts (40) to be fixed, bringing the two end parts together and tying them with a connection, which is slipping when a relatively high force is applied, exerting this relatively high force on the end parts which allows the connection to slip, thereby bringing the cable under a tension required for tying together the objects, in particular for fixing the bone parts. The invention also relates to a tensioning device (1) for exerting the force on the surgical cable.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elongate surgical repair product comprising a cable of which bending stiffness can be lowered, which fibrous member is a heat-set cable comprising at least 50 mass % of high-performance polyethylene yarn. The product shows very high tenacity, combined with a relatively high initial bending stiffness that is significantly reduced upon bending or flexing the member, without significant dimensional change; and allows both easy and well-controlled handling and good knot tying characteristics. The invention also relates to a method of making said clongate product.

Abstract: Endless shaped article, comprising at least partly fused ultra-high molecular weight polyolefin filaments and or staple fibres. Also claimed is a process for producing the endless shaped article by winding a fibre (1) of the ultra-high molecular weight polyolefin around a pair of wheels (2, 3) to form a loop, heating the fibres to a temperature below the melting point at which the fibres at least partly fuse and stretching the loop by increasing the distance between the wheels, while rotating the wheels.

Abstract: A joint prosthesis, for example, a knee joint or shoulder joint prosthesis, comprising a first, socket-holding prosthesis part for attachment to a first bone and a second, ball-holding prosthesis part for attachment to a second bone that intermates with the first prosthesis part, wherein the first bone and the second bone are situated at either side of a joint, and wherein the ball of the second prosthesis part is rotatably received in the socket of the first prosthesis part, wherein the first prosthesis part can be coupled with the first bone by applying tensile strain bearing rods, and wherein when the mounted prosthesis is in a virtually unloaded condition there is no significant tensile force in the rods.