Patent ID: 7481314

Claim:
A package assembly for surgical mesh comprising: a carrier assembly including a first substantially flat, flexible protective element having a periphery and positioned in a first plane, and a second substantially flat, flexible protective element having a periphery and positioned in a second plane parallel and substantially adjacent to the first plane; and a substantially flat, flexible surgical mesh having first and second sides and positioned between the first and second protective elements, the first and second protective elements being further dimensioned to cover the first and second sides of the surgical mesh respectively; wherein the first and second protective elements are joined together along at least a portion of their respective peripheries, but along no more of the periphery than that which will allow the first and second protective elements to be separated from one another to allow removal of the mesh by a user without separating the joined portion of their peripheries, and wherein the first protective element is comprised of a transparent or translucent material; wherein the peripheries of the first and second protective elements each include a first substantially straight edge, and wherein the first and second protective elements are joined together along the first edges; wherein the peripheries of the first and second protective elements each define an area including a first area portion and a second area portion, wherein the first area portion is adjacent to the first edge, and the second area portion is adjacent to the first area portion and on an opposite side of the first area portion from the first edge, and wherein the first area portion has a width greater than that of the second area portion; and wherein the surgical mesh includes a first mesh portion having a first width and a second mesh portion having a second width less than the first width, and wherein the first mesh portion is positioned between the first area portions of the protective elements and the second mesh portion is positioned between the second area portions of the protective element.