Patent ID: 8298284

Claim:
A method for graft ligament reconstruction, comprising: folding in half a tendon strand to form a folded over tendon strand; whip stitching together ends of the folded over tendon strand using a needle attached to at least one continuous, uninterrupted loop of a flexible strand to form a graft construct comprising a first region of stitched tendon strands and a second region of unstitched and folded over tendon strands, wherein the first region is formed by stitching from the center and moving toward a longitudinal end of the folded over tendon strand; wherein the first region is formed by stitching a plurality of first suture rows and a plurality of second suture rows in the folded over tendon strand, wherein each of the first plurality of first suture rows intersects a corresponding one of the plurality of second suture rows at a stitching through the tendon strand located about a mid width of the tendon strand to form an angle of about 45 to about 150 degrees and a symmetrical stitching; and wherein the needle has an eyelet attached to the continuous, uninterrupted loop of the flexible strand, the eyelet being configured to allow the needle to freely move around a perimeter of the continuous, uninterrupted loop, such that the needle recenters itself on the continuous, uninterrupted loop after passing through the tendon strands as each stitch is made; and securing the graft construct into a target tunnel.