Patent ID: 8858577

Claim:
A method for stabilizing connective tissue, the method comprising: affixing a fixation device to connective tissue, wherein the fixation device comprises a carrier member having a length, width, and thickness, the length and width each being at least two times greater than the thickness, wherein the fixation device further comprises a plurality of attachment members extending from the carrier member and configured to engage connective tissue, wherein the fixation device further comprises a plurality of stabilizing members, the stabilizing members fully residing within the carrier member and each coupling a respective attachment member to the carrier member, wherein, during the affixing, each stabilizing member resists angular motion of a respective attachment member relative to the carrier member, and wherein the fixation device further comprises a flexible member connecting a first set of the plurality of attachment members, the flexible member including an adjustment portion so that, upon the affixing the fixation device to connective tissue, the adjustment portion is configured to lengthen or shorten a spacing between the attachment members engaging the connective tissue along the first set of the plurality of attachment members as the connective tissue respectively stretches or contracts.