Patent ID: 7905918

Claim:
An elastic replacement ligament for connection between two different bones that include a movable joint therebetween, with one end or a first portion of said elastic replacement ligament attached to one bone on one side of the joint and a second end or a second portion of the elastic replacement ligament attached to a second bone on the other side of the joint, said elastic replacement ligament comprising 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 12 strands braided together in a braided construction, wherein each said strand comprises a bundle of multiple metallic wires, each said metallic wire having a diameter or thickness between 0.0005 inches (0.013 mm) and 0.005 inches (0.127 mm); and wherein, the braided construction is configured such that axial yield strength of the braided construction exceeds the axial rupture strength of the natural ligament to be replaced and the axial stiffness of the braided construction is in a range of from one-third to three times the axial stiffness of the natural ligament to be replaced.