Prosthetic ligament

摘要

A nonaugmented prosthetic ligament for permanently replacing a natural ligament spanning first and second body members, such as the femur and tibia includes a load bearing member formed from a plurality of biocompatible polyolefin fibers positioned at angles of from 0 DEG to 55 DEG relative to the longitudinal axis of the load bearing member. Each fiber is less than 100 microns in diameter and has a tensile strength greater than or equal to about 50,000 psi. The load bearing member may be used alone or may be formed into a hollow braid having a core disposed within the hollow portion of the braid to provide shape for the load bearing member. A sheath may be friction fit or molded onto the exterior of the load bearing member to prevent abrasion of the fibers.