A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

There is provided a product comprising a suture thread which, prior to being used to form a surgical suture, is in a stressed state which gives the suture thread a tendency to undergo lengthwise viscoelastic contraction. The suture thread undergoes viscoelastic contraction when in use as a surgical suture and this may promote wound healing to a greater extent than a conventional suture thread which does not undergo viscoelastic contraction.

There is provided a product comprising a suture thread which, prior to being used to form a surgical suture, is in a stressed state which gives the suture thread a tendency to undergo lengthwise viscoelastic contraction. The suture thread undergoes viscoelastic contraction when in use as a surgical suture and this may promote wound healing to a greater extent than a conventional suture thread which does not undergo viscoelastic contraction.

Green, fast and easy evaporating organic solvent for use as a lubricant in the processing of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) products and processes of using the solvents to fabricate the products are disclosed herein. The products can be used in the field of bio- and medical applications, such as for use in vascular grafts, cardiovascular and soft tissue patches, facial implants, surgical sutures, and endovascular prosthesis, and for any products known in the aerospace, electronics, fabrics, filtration, industrial and sealant arts.

In order to provide a means for fixing an end of a medical suture to skin tissue in a short time and thereby reduce an operation time, the present invention provides: a medical suture comprising a main body, which extends in the length direction, and a stopper, which is at one end of the main body and has a larger cross section than the main body; and a method for producing same.

In order to provide a means for fixing an end of a medical suture to skin tissue in a short time and thereby reduce an operation time, the present invention provides: a medical suture comprising a main body, which extends in the length direction, and a stopper, which is at one end of the main body and has a larger cross section than the main body; and a method for producing same.

A method of in vivo monitoring the condition of an internal body repair in which an imageable, non-absorbable repair device having non-absorbable, particulate imaging material substantially uniformly dispersed therein has been surgically inserted, including: in vivo sensing of dimensional deformation of said repair device during the post-surgical healing process; comparing the sensed values with a previously developed correlation between said sensed values and the values at which failure occurs of comparable repair devices; wherein said sensed values relative to the repair device's failure values, considered in conjunction with the anticipated time for complete healing of said repair, provides information as to the condition of the repair.

A method of in vivo monitoring the condition of an internal body repair in which an imageable, non-absorbable repair device having non-absorbable, particulate imaging material substantially uniformly dispersed therein has been surgically inserted, including: in vivo sensing of dimensional deformation of said repair device during the post-surgical healing process; comparing the sensed values with a previously developed correlation between said sensed values and the values at which failure occurs of comparable repair devices; wherein said sensed values relative to the repair device's failure values, considered in conjunction with the anticipated time for complete healing of said repair, provides information as to the condition of the repair.

The present invention provides threads of hyaluronic acid, and/or derivatives thereof, methods of making thereof and uses thereof, for example, in aesthetic applications (e.g., dermal fillers), surgery (sutures), drug delivery, etc.