is braided using multifilament plla fibers that are plied to create a yarn bundle each 60 to 100 denier plla fiber is made up of 20 40 individual filaments in particularly useful embodiments the 3 d braided fibrous structure includes about twenty four 75 denier plla fibers made up of 30 individual filaments the diameter of a 75 denier plla fiber is about 80 100 microns while the diameter of an individual filament is about 15 20 microns in some embodiments the fibers have a diameter ranging from about 50 microns to about 150 microns in particularly useful embodiments the fibers have a diameter ranging from about 80 microns to about 100 microns in one embodiment the device is formed using a braiding mechanism with 75 denier degradable polymer such as plla having a relaxed width of between 10 mm and 14 mm and tensioned width of between 8 mm and 12 mm relaxed thickness of between 0 8 mm and 1 2 mm and a tensioned thickness of between 0 6 mm 1 0 mm the braided structure can be packaged and sterilized in accordance with any of the techniques within the purview of those skilled in the art the package in which the implant or plurality of implants are maintained in sterile condition until use can take a variety of forms known to the art the packaging material itself can be bacteria and fluid or vapor impermeable such as film sheet or tube polyethylene polypropylene poly vinylchloride and poly ethylene terephthalate with seams joints and seals made by conventional techniques such as for example heat sealing and adhesive bonding examples of heat sealing include sealing through use of heated.