Patent ID: 9387066
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: A61F

Claim Text:
1. A prosthetic anchor for attaching to and extending between a first natural tissue and a second natural tissue or prosthetic structure in a subject, comprising; a plurality of fiber bundles, each fiber bundle of the plurality of fiber bundles having a medial portion that substantially defines a generally horseshoe-shaped pattern having first and second branches extending from the medial portion, the medial portion being contained within a central layer; a first plurality of tension elements extending from the first branch and a second plurality of tension elements extending from the second branch, the first and second plurality of tension elements extending to and operatively connected to a tissue engaging portion, the tissue engaging portion configured to extend through the first natural tissue and to disperse therein with a proliferation of cells; a first partial envelope and a second partial envelope positioned adjacent to and spaced away from one another and defining a space therebetween, each of the first and second partial envelopes enclosing at least a portion of the central layer and configured to interface with the second natural tissue or prosthetic structure; the first partial envelope surrounding at least a portion of the first branch of the plurality of fiber bundles; and the second partial envelope surrounding at least a portion of the second branch of the plurality of fiber bundles, wherein at least a portion of the medial portion of the plurality of fiber bundles is positioned within the space between the first and second partial envelopes; and further, wherein the central layer is a wafer-like structure, the wafer-like structure defines a plurality of pathways, and the plurality of fiber bundles are embedded respectively within the plurality of pathways.