Patent ID: 6946003

Claim:
Biocompatible, implantable material suitable for use in the partial or total replacement or reinforcement of connective tissue, the implantable material comprising: a flexible, elongate tape, said tape being generally planar, having a longitudinal direction, and including (a) a series of parallel warp strands extending longitudinally, and (b) a series of parallel weft strands which cross the warp strands and which have first interconnections with the warp strands to locate the weft strands in place spaced relative to one another; a plurality of elongate elements, each elongate element (a) having a property which mimics the connective tissue being replaced or reinforced, the property of the elongate elements being different from a corresponding property of the warp strands, and (b) being aligned between respective adjacent parallel warp strands; and second interconnections between said weft strands and each of said plurality of elongate elements, said second interconnections holding each elongate element to the tape so as to be (a) in an orientation parallel to one another and to the longitudinal direction of the tape, (b) separated from one another in the plane of the tape, and (c) independently translatable in the longitudinal direction relative to one another and to the tape.