and shares the same flexibility in material and design as anchor 1 both device elements can be of the same design or they can be of different designs each better suited to being established in healthy and diseased tissue respectively alternatively in other forms support member 2 can be a cap or a bead shape which also serves to secure a tear or puncture in the af or it can be bar or plate shaped with or without barbs to maintain secure contact with the herniated segment support member 2 can be established securely to within or posterior to the herniated segment the anchor and support member can include suture bone anchors soft tissue anchors tissue adhesives and materials that support tissue ingrowth although other forms and materials are possible they may be permanent devices or resorbable their attachment to a portion of fsu and herniated segment must be strong enough to resist the tensional forces that result from repair of the hernia and the loads generated during daily activities connection member 3 is also depicted in representative fashion member 3 may be in the format of a flexible filament such as a single or multi strand suture wire or perhaps a rigid rod or broad band of material for example the connection member can further include suture wire pins and woven tubes or webs of material it can be constructed from a variety of materials either permanent or resorbable and can be of any shape suitable to fit within the confines of the intervertebral disc space the material chosen is preferably adapted to be relatively stiff while in.