Sternum banding assembly

A banding assembly has a needle at one end, a long thin band, and a buckle at the other end. The buckle is provided with upstanding elements on either side of a channel which receives the band. The elements have openings adapted to be engaged by a towel clamp to retain the buckle as the band is drawn through the channel and locks into position. The elements are normally spaced apart by a distance slightly less than the width of the band. Once locked into place, the band is trimmed, leaving a tail extending from the buckle. The tail is bent backwards and "snap fits" between the elements. The elements are then crimped over the tail to retain it on the buckle and to cover any sharp edges. A dome-like member is provided to guide the band into the channel. The buckle is attached to the end of the band by spaced tabs which extend through openings in the band and are crimped toward each other.