Tissue repair device

Abstract

A tissue repair device includes a closed knotless loop of multifilament flexible material, and a fixation member having a structure that defines a cavity that receives at least a part of the closed loop. The tissue repair device may include a flexible member traversing the loop. The loop may include a portion in which ends of the multifilament flexible material are thermally fused together. The multifilament flexible material may be braided or twisted.

1 . A tissue repair device comprising a closed loop of multifilament flexible material, wherein the loop is knotless and includes a contact portion in which ends of the multifilament flexible material are interwoven and melted-formed.  
   
   
       2 . The tissue repair device of  claim 1  further comprising a fixation member having a structure that defines a cavity that receives at least a part of the closed loop.  
   
   
       3 . The tissue repair device of  claim 1  further comprising a flexible member traversing the loop.  
   
   
       4 . The tissue repair device of  claim 3  wherein the flexible member traverses the loop by being passed through an interior defined by the loop.  
   
   
       5 . The tissue repair device of  claim 3  wherein the flexible member traverses the loop by being passed through the multifilament flexible material.  
   
   
       6 . The tissue repair device of  claim 1  wherein the ends of the multifilament flexible material are thermally fused together within the contact portion.  
   
   
       7 . The tissue repair device of  claim 6  wherein the flexible member traverses the loop by being passed through the thermally fused portion of the multifilament flexible material.  
   
   
       8 . The tissue repair device of  claim 1  wherein the multifilament flexible material is made of polymer-based compound.  
   
   
       9 . The tissue repair device of  claim 1  wherein the flexible member traverses the loop by being passed through the interwoven portion of the multifilament flexible material.  
   
   
       10 . The tissue repair device of  claim 1  wherein the multifilament flexible material is braided.  
   
   
       11 . The tissue repair device of  claim 1  wherein the multifilament flexible material is twisted.  
   
   
       12 . A method of making a tissue repair device, the method comprising: 
 forming a closed loop from the multifilament flexible material including: 
 interweaving ends of the multifilament flexible material together to form a contact portion without tying the ends together in a knot, and  
 causing the ends of the multifilament flexible material to melt in the contact portion.  
   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising passing at least a part of the multifilament flexible material through a cavity defined by a fixation member.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising traversing a flexible member through the loop.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein traversing the flexible member through the loop comprises passing the flexible member through an interior defined by the loop.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein traversing the flexible member through the loop comprises passing the flexible member through the multifilament flexible material.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein traversing the flexible member through the loop comprises passing the flexible member through the contact portion of the multifilament flexible material.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein forming the closed loop includes the thermally fusing the ends of the multifilament flexible material in the contact portion.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein forming the closed loop from the multifilament flexible material includes forming without applying a filler material to the ends of the flexible element.  
   
   
       20 . A tissue repair device comprising: 
 a closed loop of multifilament flexible material, wherein the loop is knotless and includes a contact portion in which ends of the multifilament flexible material are interwoven; and    a fixation member having a structure that defines a cavity that receives at least a part of the closed loop.