Depuy Synthes Products, Inc.

Ralph Hertel

Jochen Ganz

Beat Keller

Joerg Mayer

Jörg Mayer

Disclosed is a joining element (), especially a suture material for surgical use. The joining element () is composed of a first material () that is essentially rigid during impingement by a relatively short-lasting tensile load on opposite sides as well as a second material () which is connected to the first material. The second material is substantially rigid during impingement by said tensile load on opposite sides while contracting slowly during a second period of time that is longer than the first period of time.

Joining element

Disclosed is a joining element, especially a suture material for surgical use. The joining element is composed of a core having a length that extends along a longitudinal direction, the core including a polymer material and an osmotically active substance distributed within the polymer material, wherein the core has a volume capable of swelling along a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction upon exposure to a fluid; and, a diffusion-controlling extendable membrane that surrounds at least a portion of the length of the core, wherein the membrane is configured to regulate hydration of the core by the fluid, and is further configured to expand along the transverse direction in response to swelling of the core.

The present disclosure is directed to a joining element elongate in a longitudinal direction including an inner core extending substantially in the longitudinal direction and an outer sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the inner core. The sleeve includes a lattice that defines at least one angle with respect to the longitudinal direction and the core is swellable against the sleeve along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to thereby increase the angle with respect to the longitudinal direction. The disclosure is further directed to a method of joining a first a second material including the joining element of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure is directed to a joining element having a core having first and second opposed ends that define a length therebetween along a longitudinal direction, a jacket that surrounds the core along at least a portion of the length and defining first and second opposed ends that are spaced along the longitudinal direction, where the first and second opposed ends are in mechanical communication with the first and second ends of the core; and, where one of the jacket and the core is pre-tensioned, and the other of the jacket and the core is configured to transition from a first rigid configuration where its length is constant, to a second deformed configuration where the one of the jacket and the core relaxes from a pre-tensioned state so as to draw the first and second opposed ends of the other of the jacket and the core toward each other.

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Oberdorf, Switzerland

Ralph Hertel