A system for making surgical braids. The apparatus comprises a braiding machine. The braiding machine comprises a plurality of horn gears and a plurality of bobbin carrier assemblies engaging the plurality of horn gears. A cutting machine is arranged to receive a continuous braid directly from the braiding machine. The cutting machine has a cutter. The braiding machine and cutting machine define a continuous path extending from the bobbin carrier assemblies and through at least a portion of the cutting machine.

A method and apparatus for coupling a soft tissue implant into a looking cavity formed within a bone is disclosed. A bone engaging fastener is coupled to bone. A second fastener is coupled to a suture construction. The second fastener is coupled to the first fastener. Soft tissue is coupled to the suture construction

Systems and methods for providing fixation of soft tissue (for example, ligament) to bone by employing a novel multi-piece device. The novel multi-piece device is a ligament fixation system consisting of a larger collar that is initially impacted into a bone aperture, and a smaller plug/bullet-shaped part that is impacted into the larger collar. During ligament repair/reconstruction, the graft is inserted into a bone tunnel with sutures from the graft extending outside the tunnel. The sutures are passed through a collar of the multi-part device and the collar is then inserted into the bone tunnel. The graft suture strands may be tensioned. Subsequently, the smaller plug/bullet-shaped part is impacted into the collar thereby maintaining the tension on the graft sutures. The plug/bullet-shaped part is tightened after the desired tension on the suture is achieved.

A suture construction and method for forming a suture construction is disclosed. The construction utilizes a suture having an enlarged central body portion defining a longitudinal passage. First and second ends of the suture are passed through first and second apertures associated with the longitudinal passage to form a pair of loops. Portions of the suture lay parallel to each other within the suture. Application of tension onto the suture construction causes constriction of the longitudinal passage, thus preventing relative motions of the captured portions of the suture.

A method of coupling a first portion of an anatomy to a second portion of the anatomy includes coupling first and second bones of the anatomy with a bone-tendon-bone implant. The bone-tendon-bone implant has a first bone end, a second bone end and a replacement tendon between the first and second bone ends. The first and second bone ends are positioned in corresponding first and second bores of the first and second bones. The first bone end is secured to the first bone with a first bone anchor. A second anchor coupled to the bone-tendon-bone implant is passed through and outside the second bore. The second anchor is coupled to an adjustable suture construct having two adjustable suture loops. Tensioning at least one of first and second ends of the adjustable suture construct tensions the replacement tendon and positions the first bone relative to the second bone.

A whip stitched graft construct and method of formation. The whip stitched graft construct includes a plurality of tendon strand regions or soft tissue grafts placed together so that at least a portion of the plurality of the tendon strand regions are stitched together by employing multiple suture passes placed according to a whip stitching technique. Preferably, the multiple suture passes start at about the mid length of the plurality of tendon strand regions and are advanced toward one of the free ends of the tendon strands. The whip stitched graft construct is provided with at least two regions, one region formed of at least a plurality of tendon strand regions tied and whip stitched together, and the other region formed of untied segments of the plurality of tendon strands.

A method and apparatus for coupling a soft tissue implant into a locking cavity formed within a bone. The method includes the following: implanting in bone a first anchor including a first suture construct connected to the first anchor; passing a first adjustable loop of the first suture construct at least one of over or through the soft tissue; coupling the first adjustable loop to one of a first locking feature of the first anchor or a second locking feature of a second anchor; adjusting the first adjustable loop by pulling a first end of the first suture construct; and securing the soft tissue against bone by pulling the first end of the first suture construct.

A method and apparatus for coupling a soft tissue implant into a locking cavity formed within a bone is disclosed. The apparatus includes a member to pull the soft tissue implant into a femoral tunnel. The member includes a suture having first and second ends which are passed through first and second openings associated with the longitudinal passage to form a pair of loops. A collapsible tube is positioned about the suture. Application of tension onto the suture construction causes retraction of the soft tissue implant into the femoral tunnel and the collapse of the tube to form an anchor.

Embodiments of the invention include methods and devices for securing a suture, graft, or other material to tissue with an anchor. The anchor of some embodiments includes an eyelet through which the suture, graft, or other material may be passed and mechanisms for selectively engaging the suture, graft, or other material through the eyelet. The mechanisms of some embodiments may also reinforce the anchor to provide a strengthened anchor to withstand actions such as impacting the anchor during insertion or applying bending stress to the anchor.

A ligament assembly (2) comprising a resilient element (20) connected to a bone anchor (4) and a ligament (18), the resilient element (20) acting m a cantilever and resisting toads transmitted between the bone anchor (4) and the ligament (18) by virtue of the resistance to bending of the resilient element. The ligament (18) may comprise an artificial ligament (18) which is adapted to replace a human or animal ligament. The resilient element (20) may comprise a spiral spring and may act as a biasing element/shock absorber operatively coupled to the artificial ligament (18) to control the effective stiffness of the artificial ligament (18). Consequently, the resilient element (20) enables an effective stiffness of the artificial ligament (18) to be achieved that more closely approximates the stiffness of a natural ligament.