Term #1,589
tether
Claim Term
tether
Origin matter
Joint Spacer Implant
Reference Case 1
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Date Added
12/17/21
Created
12/17/21, 10:38 AM
Modified
7/20/22, 11:16 PM
Full Desc
The term “tether” is used herein to mean any strand or flexible member, natural or synthetic, able to join or connect or couple two structures or components. In one embodiment, a tether can join tissue of a patient and/or to be anchored in a bone tunnel or to hard tissue and useful in a surgical procedure. A tether may join two structures either directly by connecting directly to one structure or directly to the other or indirectly by connecting indirectly (by way of one or more intermediary structures) to one structure, to the other structure, or to both structures. In certain embodiments, “tether” refers to a flexible line or flexible member of natural material, natural biological material, biomaterial, biomimetic materials, manmade material, or a combination of these either in a single tether, a composite tether, or a plurality of tissue tethers that extend in parallel and/or may be woven or bonded together. In certain embodiments, a tether may be long and thin. In certain embodiments, a tether may be planar and/or may be elastic or inelastic (rigid). Examples of a tether include, but are not limited to, a thread, a string, a polymer thread or line, a tendon graft, a ligament graft, a hamstring graft, soft tissue, a tendon, a ligament, a suture, suture tape, a woven tether, a fibrous material, a cord, and/or any of these in combination with each other, and the like.