What’s a bioabsorbable tack? The orthopedic surgeon who did my rotator cuff and cartilage tear repair says this is what was used to hold it together.

Bioabsorbable means the body can break down the device. It dissolves and is absorbed by the body. The blood stream will carry it to the kidneys where some of it will be sent out of the body through the urine. Particles that can’t be gotten rid of will go to the liver, the body’s toxic waste site.

The tack helps reattach soft tissues to the bone. They are made of a synthetic (manmade) copolymer that doesn’t set up an inflammatory response by the nearby tissue. They work well for ligaments, tendons, and bones. Tacks or anchors come in different sizes and shapes depending on how and where they are used.