Suture-to-implant adapter systems, methods, and devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein include a suture-to-implant adapter with components for improving an arthroplasty operation. The suture-to-implant adapter includes a top portion having an opening forming one or more pass-through channel operable to receive a suture. The top portion can have a variety of configurations, such as a double-barrel configuration or a spool-like configuration. Additionally, a protrusion extends from an underside of the top portion. Upon positioning the suture through the pass-through channel, a feature of the top portion and / or the protrusion can be wrapped by a loop of the suture. The protrusion has a width dimension such that the protrusion is sized to mate with a female connector of a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem.

Description

TITLESUTURE-TO-IMPLANT ADAPTER SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No.63 / 789,398, filed April 15, 2025, and titled “SUTURE-TO-IMPLANT ADAPTER SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 981,673, filed February 12, 2026, and titled “SUTURE-TO-IMPLANT ADAPTER SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES,” which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.BACKGROUND1. Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to medical implants.2. Discussion of Related Art

[0003] A thumb carpal metacarpal (CMC) joint replacement prosthesis is one of a number of methods used to treat thumb CMC arthritis. An example of these prosthetics has a ’’dual mobility” design that includes a metacarpal component in the form of a press-fit metal stem that inserts into the metacarpal, and a dual mobility neck and ball (metal and polyethylene) that attaches to the metacarpal stem via a morse taper. A trapezial cup (conical or spherical), serving as a metal socket, is press fit into the trapezium and accepts the dual mobility neck and ball. There are a number of instances where the joint replacement prosthesis can fail. An example is demonstrated by the inability to achieve the necessary stability of the press-fit of the trapezial cup within the trapezium such that the cup is loose within the reamed trapezial socket and not able to support the dual mobility neck and ball. This can occur through a number of modes: fracture of the trapezium; eccentric reaming for the cup in the trapezium; mal position of the cup within the trapezium; poor bone quality of the trapezium and the inability to support the cup; or general loosening of the cup within the trapezium. Additionally, should the trapezial cup or the dual mobility ball incur any damage, wear debris, aseptic loosening of the cup, or even instability of the dual mobility neck and ball at this interface, the trapezial cup could cause the CMC joint replacement prosthesis to fail through subluxation, dislocation, or fracture.SUMMARY

[0004] Systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein can address the aforementioned issues. For instance, a medical implant system can include a suture-to-implant adapter. The suture-to-implant adapter can have a top portion having an opening forming a pass-throughchannel operable to receive a suture. Also, the suture-to-implant adapter can include a protrusion extending from an underside of the top portion. The protrusion or a feature of the top portion can be wrapped by a loop of the suture upon passing the suture through the pass-through channel. Additionally, the protrusion can have a width dimension such that the protrusion is sized to mate with a female connector of a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem.

[0005] In some examples, the suture can have one or more ends operable to pass through or connect to the adjacent bone of the index metacarpal. Additionally, the system can include an anchor button operable to couple to a first line of the suture and a second line of the suture. The anchor button can couple to the suture a distance along the suture from the suture-to-implant adapter, the distance defining a connector portion of the suture, and the connector portion of the suture can pass through a hole formed into an index metacarpal. Furthermore, the anchor button can include a first hole for receiving the first line and a second hole for receiving the second line.

[0006] In some cases, the top portion can include a double-barrel configuration or a spoollike configuration. The spool-like top portion can include a circumferential groove defined between a top cap and a flange. Also, the top portion can include a plurality of mating holes formed into the flange. Furthermore, the suture-to-implant adapter can have a top hat configuration based on the top portion having a circular profile, the protrusion having a circular profile, and / or the top portion having a wider width dimension than the protrusion.

[0007] In some scenarios, a medical implant system can include a suture, a prosthesis stem, and a suture-to-implant adapter. The suture-to-implant adapter can include a top portion having an opening, and a protrusion extending from the top portion. The protrusion can have a side opening forming a pass-through channel with the opening. The pass-through channel can be operable to receive the suture, and the protrusion or the top portion can be operable to be wrapped by a loop of the suture upon passing the suture through the opening and into the pass-through channel. Also, the protrusion can have a width dimension such that the protrusion is sized to mate with the prosthesis stem.

[0008] In some examples, the prosthesis stem can include a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem. Additionally, the suture-to-implant adapter can include a morse taper. A tensional screw can be operable for anchoring one or more lines of the suture to a receiving bone. Moreover, the receiving bone can be an index metacarpal, and the tensional screw can be inserted into a portion of the index metacarpal during a prosthesis implantation procedure. As part of the suspensionplasty procedure, the suture-to-implant adapter can be used to attach the thumb metacarpal and prosthesis to the index finger bone in order to “suspend” the thumb metacarpalfrom the index finger (e.g., by forming a connection for the suture “suspending” the thumb metacarpal from the index finger bone).

[0009] In some cases, a method of implanting a prosthesis can include passing a suture through a channel formed into a top portion of a suture-to-implant adapter. The method can also include wrapping a loop of the suture around a feature of the top portion or a protrusion extending from an underside of the suture-to-implant adapter, mating the protrusion with a female connector of a prosthesis stem, and / or securing one or more lines of the suture to a receiving bone.

[0010] In some scenarios, the method can also include inserting the prosthesis stem into a bone being attached to the receiving bone. The bone can be a thumb metacarpal, and the receiving bone can be an index metacarpal. Additionally, the method can include tightening the loop of the suture around the top portion or the protrusion, positioning a spacer around the suture and adjacent to the receiving bone, tensioning the spacer; and / or, subsequent to the securing of the one or more lines of the suture, removing the spacer. Furthermore, the securing of the one or more lines of the suture to the receiving bone can include anchoring the one or more lines to the receiving bone with an anchor button or an interference screw. Moreover, the mating of the protrusion with the female connector can include forming a press-fit engagement with the female connector of a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter with a top-hat configuration including a top portion and a protrusion.

[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates an example system including an implant procedure for using a suture-to-implant adapter to attach a thumb metacarpal to an index finger metacarpal.

[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates an example system including an implant procedure for using a suture-to-implant adapter with an interference screw to attach a thumb metacarpal to an index finger metacarpal.

[0014] FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter formed of a metal rivet.

[0015] FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter with a suture for performing a suture attachment procedure.

[0016] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter with an implant stem for performing an adapter attachment procedure.

[0017] FIGS. 7A-7G illustrate an example system including a suture-to- implant adapter with an implant stem and suture for performing a suspensionplasty procedure.

[0018] FIG. 8 illustrates an example method of using a suture-to-implant adapter to attach a suture to an implant, which can be performed by any of the systems disclosed herein.

[0019] FIG. 9 illustrates an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter with a double-barrel configuration.

[0020] FIG. 10 illustrates an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter with a spool-like shape and / or a central channel.

[0021] FIGS. 11 A-11 F illustrate an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter with a plurality of different suture wrapping configurations.

[0022] FIG. 12A illustrates an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter integrated into a metacarpal joint arthroplasty implant system with adjustable alignment parameters.

[0023] FIG. 12B illustrates an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter and a tension spacer.

[0024] FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate an example system including a suture-to-implant adapter and a screw-type implant.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] It will be appreciated that numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the examples described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the examples described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the examples described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.

[0026] In some examples, the system, methods, and devices disclosed herein can be used to perform CMC suspensionplasty as a primary treatment modality for the management of thumb CMC arthritis. The method of suture suspensionplasty performed by the system(s) disclosed herein can provide a direct attachment between the index metacarpal via a suture to the thumb metacarpal base articular surface by a number of other methods. Furthermore, the disclosed technology can be used to attach a suture to an existing implanted metacarpal stem and / or to create a suspensionplasty with the implanted metacarpal stem.

[0027] The systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein can use a metal rivet type “top-hat” configuration device with a morse taper and / or a suture connection or hole to attach to the metacarpal component under multiple scenarios, such as a primary procedure, an intraoperative back-up or bail-out procedure, and / or a revision procedure for a previously implanted prosthesis implant. In the primary procedure, following a planned removal of the arthritic trapezium bone via a trapeziectomy, a method of suture suspensionplasty can use a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem (e.g., by TOUCH®) attached to the implant-suture suspension device (e.g., a suture-to-implant adapter). In another variation of the primary procedure, the method of suture suspensionplasty can use a screw-in type implant at the articular surface of the thumb metacarpal base that can accept the implant-suture suspension device (e.g., a suture-to-implant adapter) to suspend the thumb metacarpal from the adjacent index metacarpal bone. In the intra-operative bail-out, a user attempting a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem implantation can determine that the trapezium will not support the placement of the cup, either because of a lack of press-fit fixation, or due to the trapezium being fractured. The dual mobility prosthesis is therefore not able to be implanted. Removal of the trapezium via trapeziectomy may then be initiated, and the disclosed method of suspensionplasty from the implanted metacarpal prosthesis stem can be performed. In the revision procedure, the trapeziectomy may occur in a revision setting, and the suture suspensionplasty can be performed with a previously implanted metacarpal prosthesis stem.

[0028] Additional benefits and advantages of the disclosed technology will become apparent from the detailed description below.

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 including a suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching a suture 104 to an implant 106, such as a prosthesis implant (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 2-7G). The system(s) 100 depicted in FIG. 1, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0030] In some examples, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can have a “top-hat” configuration 108. For instance, a top portion 110 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include a circumferential lip 112 with a first width dimension being larger than a second width dimension of a protrusion 114 extending from the top portion 110. The “top-hat” configuration 108 can also refer to the top portion 110 and the protrusion 114 both having circular cross-sectional profiles. Although, it is to be understood that the top portion 110 and / or the protrusion 114 can have other cross-sectional profiles (e.g., diameters), such as a square profile, a triangular profile, an oval profile, or an irregular profile which can match an anatomy of a bone or implant 106 receiving the suture-to-implant adapter 102. The protrusion 114 can have a constant width, a tapered width (e.g., a morse taper), an hour-glass width, a stepped width,and / or other features shaped into the material of the protrusion 114 (e.g., a threading, a rod, a groove, a tab, a shelf, and / or any combination thereof) to assist in coupling the suture 104 to the suture-to-implant adapter 104, and / or to assist in coupling the suture-to-implant adapter 104 to the receiving bone 210. Moreover, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be a metal rivet style orthopedic device that is formed from a metal rivet, as discussed in greater detail below. Additionally, or alternatively, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be formed of various rigid materials, such as metal (titanium, stainless steel alloy, aluminum, etc.), plastics, carbon fiber, ceramic, composites, and / or combinations thereof.

[0031] In some scenarios, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can have various features for attaching the suture 104 to another metal component or implant 106 (e.g., a female connector of the implant 106). The top portion 110 can have a top surface 116 including a top of the circumferential lip 112, and a top hole 118 can be formed into the top surface 116. Furthermore, the top hole 118 can be a central hole 120 disposed at a center location of the top surface 116. The protrusion 114, which can extend from an underside 122 of the top portion 110 and / or can be centrally located with respect to the top portion 110, can include one or more side hole(s) 124. The side hole 124 can be formed adjacent to the underside 122 of the top portion 110 or spaced a distance apart from the underside 122 of the top portion 110 along the protrusion 114. The opening space of the side hole 124 can connect to the opening space of the top hole 118 such that, together, the side hole 124 and the top hole 118 form a pass-through channel 126. During a device setup and / or implantation procedure, the suture 104 can be formed into a loop 128 which can be pushed into the top hole 118, through the pass-through channel 126, and out the side hole 124. Then, the loop 128 can be wrapped around the protrusion 114 and secured in place, as discussed in greater detail below regarding FIGS. 5A-5D. Additionally, the protrusion 114 can have a shape and / or size operable for mating with a female connector of the implant 106. For example, the component or implant 106 (female) can accept the protrusion 114 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 via a morse taper (male) friction fit. As such, the suture 104 coupled to the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can then be used to control or suspend the bone into which the implant 106 has been applied. Furthermore, the suture 104 may be attached to the suture-to-implant adapter via any number of methods including a wedge, crimp, weld, hole, knot, glue, epoxy, swedge, adhesive, and / or any combination thereof (e.g., formed onto the top portion 110 and / or the protrusion 114).

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIG. 2, the system 100 can be used to perform an implantation procedure 202 in which a thumb metacarpal 204 is attached to an index metacarpal 206 via the suture 104 and an anchor button 208 construction. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIG. 2, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identicalto, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0033] In some examples, the implant 106 can be a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem 209 (e.g., by TOUCH®) inserted into the thumb metacarpal 204. The suture-to-implant adapter 102 can protrude out from the thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem 209 and the thumb metacarpal 204. One or more lines of the suture 104 extending from the loop 128 can pass through one or more holes formed (e.g., drilled) into a receiving bone 210 and can be secured in place at a side of the receiving bone 210 opposite from the suture-to-implant adapter 102. For instance, a first line 212 of the suture and a second line 214 of the suture 104 can be coupled to the anchor button 208 (e.g., or plate, screw, or combination thereof) disposed on the opposite side 216 of the receiving bone 210, located a distance 218 along the suture 104 from the suture-to-implant adapter 102. The anchor button 208 can include a first hole for receiving the first line 212 and / or a second hole for receiving the second line 214. The anchor button 208 can tie, clamp, crimp, compress, pinch, or otherwise secure the first line 212 of the suture 104 and / or the second line 214 of the suture 104 in place. The distance 218 can define a portion of the suture lines 212 and 214 which is a connector portion 220 of the suture 104 between the anchor button 208 and the suture-to-implant adapter 102. The length of the connector portion 220 can provide suspension and / or mobility of the thumb metacarpal 204 relative to the index metacarpal 206.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIG. 3, the system 100 can be used to perform the implantation procedure 202 in which the thumb metacarpal 204 is attached to the index metacarpal 206 by using the suture 104 and an interference screw 302 as a suture anchor 304. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIG. 3, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0035] In some examples, the interference screw 302 can be inserted into the receiving bone 210, such as at a base of the index metacarpal 206. The lines 212 and / or 214 of the suture 104 can attach to an anchoring portion 304 of the interference screw 302 extending out of the receiving bone 210 or otherwise exposed. The anchoring portion 304 can be disposed at a side of the receiving bone 210 proximate to the suture-to-implant adapter 104. As such, the distance 218 of the connector portion 220 of the suture 104 in this interference screw configuration can be shorter than the distance 218 in the anchor button configuration discussed above regarding FIG. 2. Furthermore, the first line 212 and / or the second line 214 of the suture 104 can extend through the receiving bone 210 at multiple locations, can be routed back through the receiving bone 210, can wrap around the receiving bone 210, can beattached to another bone and then routed back to the receiving bone 210, and / or any combination thereof. For instance, the suture 104 could be routed through the index metacarpal 210 and then back to the suture-to-implant adapter 102 itself, in effect creating a to-and-from suture pass or loop which, in some cases, may strengthen the suspensionplasty.

[0036] FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIGS. 4A-4D, the suture-to-implant 106 can have the top-hat configuration 108. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 4A-4D, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0037] In some examples, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be formed of a metal rivet 402 and / or a piece of metal 404 formed into a shape of a metal rivet 402. For instance, the piece of metal 404 can be cast, extruded, injection molded, cut, milled, machined, bent, and / or 3D printed into the top-hat configuration 108. Furthermore, the top hole 118 and / or the side hole 124 forming the pass-through channel 126 can be drilled or cut into the piece of metal 404 or formed via the casting, extruding, injection molding, cutting, milling, machining, bending, and / or 3D printing of the piece of metal 404. The top surface 116 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be substantially flat, textured, planar, curved, and / or can have other contours or features, which can match a contour or curve of the receiving bone 210 or other anatomical structure. It is to be understood that the suture-to-implant anchor 102 can be formed of other materials, such as plastic, ceramics, carbon-fiber, composites, biomaterials, and / or any combinations thereof.

[0038] FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIGS. 5A-5D, a suture attachment procedure 502 can be used to connect the suture 104 to the suture-to-implant adapter 102. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 5A-5D, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0039] In some examples, the suture attachment procedure 502 can include moving a portion of the suture 104 (e.g., the loop 128) into the top hole 118, through the pass-through channel 126, and out the side hole 124. Then, the loop 128 can be wrapped around the protrusion 114 and secured in place, for instance by pulling on the first line 212 of the suture 104 and / or by pulling on the second line 214 of the suture 104. Upon tightening, the loop 128 can be secured around at least a portion of the protrusion 114, and / or can be adjacent to or spaced apart from the underside 122 of the top portion 110. The first line 212 of the suture 104 and / or the second line 214 of the suture 104 can extend out from the top hole 118 of thesuture-to-implant adapter 102, operable for attachment to the receiving bone 210 to form the suspensionplasty.

[0040] In some examples, the suture 104 can mate with the suture-to-implant adapter using other configurations. For instance, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include one or more additional holes, pass-through channels, or other features (e.g., grooves, pins, rods, friction-fits clips, etc.) such that the suture 104 can connect at different attachment points, which can be selected to subtly change a suspension point, direction of motion, rotational alignment, and / or range of motion of the thumb metacarpal 204 relative to the receiving bone.

[0041] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIGS. 6A and 6B, an adapter attachment procedure 602 can be performed to connect the suture-to-implant adapter 102 to the implant 106. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 6A and 6B, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0042] In some examples, the adapter attachment procedure 602 can include inserting a male portion 604 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 (e.g., the protrusion 114) into a female connector 606 of the implant 106 (e.g., a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem 608 and / or 209). It is to be understood, however, that the inverse configuration may also be implemented, with the female connector 606 formed into the suture-to-implant adapter 102 and the male portion 604 formed into the implant 106. Upon inserting the protrusion 114 into the implant 106, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be secured in place at least partially within the implant 106. For example, the protrusion 114 can have a shape and / or size (e.g., a width dimension and / or a length dimension) operable to create a press-fit or a friction-fit engagement with the interior surface of the implant 106. Additionally, or alternatively, the adapter attachment procedure 602 can include a threaded mechanism, an adhesive, a snap-fit, a latch, a tongue-and-groove, and / or any other mating mechanism for securing the suture-to-implant adapter 102 to the implant 106.

[0043] Although the implant 106 is shown as a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem 608, it is to be understood that the technology disclosed herein can be applied to other types of implants 106. For instance, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be used to implement a suture suspensionplasty with a screw in type prosthesis that attaches to the base of the thumb metacarpal articular surface, as discussed in greater detail below regarding FIGS. 13A and 13B.

[0044] FIGS. 7A-7G illustrate an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106, As depicted in FIGS. 7A-7G, asuspensionplasty procedure 702 can be performed for connecting the implant 106 to the receiving bone 210 with the suture-to-implant adapter 102. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 7A-7G, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, and / or can form at least a portion of the system(s) 100 depicted in FIG. 1.

[0045] In some examples, the suspensionplasty procedure 702 can include the suture attachment procedure 502 in which the suture 104 is connected to the suture-to-implant adapter 102. The suture attachment procedure 502 can include any of the steps discussed above, and / or other attachment steps. For instance, the loop 128 of the suture 104 can be disposed within the pass-through channel 128 and / or can wrap around the protrusion 114. Additionally, or alternatively, the suture 104 can be secured to the suture-to-implant adapter 102 with an adhesive, a clamping arm, a loop formed into the suture-to-implant adapter 102, and / or other attachment mechanisms.

[0046] In some instances, the suspensionplasty procedure 702 can include the adapter attachment procedure 602 in which the suture-to-implant adapter 102 is connected to the implant 106. For example, the protrusion 114 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be inserted into the female connector 606 of the implant 106, and / or secured in place via a morse taper formed onto the suture-to-implant adapter 102. Moreover, it is to be understood that other coupling mechanisms and techniques can be used for the adapter attachment procedure 602, as discussed herein. The adapter attachment procedure 602 can be performed prior to an implant insertion procedure 702 in which the implant 106 is inserted into the bone being attached (e.g., the thumb metacarpal 204), as depicted in FIG. 7B. Additionally, or alternatively, the adapter attachment procedure 602 can be performed after the implant insertion procedure 702, such that the suture-to-implant adapter 102 is attached to an implant 106 already inserted into the bone being attached, as depicted in FIGS. 7C and 7D. One or more of these operations can form at least a part of the implantation procedure 202 disclosed herein.

[0047] FIG. 8 illustrates an example method 800 of using a suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching a suture 104 to an implant 106, which can be performed by any of the system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 1-7G and 9-12B.

[0048] In some examples, at operation 802, the method 800 can pass a suture through a channel formed into a top portion of a suture-to-implant adapter. At operation 804, the method 800 can wrap a loop of the suture around a protrusion extending from the top portion of the suture-to-implant adapter. At operation 806, the method 800 can mate the protrusion with a female connector of a prosthesis stem. At operation 808, the method 800 can secure one or more lines of the suture to a receiving bone. Moreover, in some cases, the suture may bereturned to the suture-to-implant adapter and secured there after being anchored to, passed around, and / or secured to the adjacent index metacarpal bone in order to complete the suspension.

[0049] It is to be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods depicted throughout this disclosure are instances of example approaches and can be rearranged while remaining within the disclosed subject matter. For instance, any of the operations discussed throughout this disclosure may be omitted, repeated, performed in parallel, performed in a different order, and / or combined with any other of the operations discussed throughout this disclosure.

[0050] FIG. 9 illustrates an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIG. 9, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be a double-barreled adapter 902 with a domed top 904. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIG. 9, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0051] In some cases, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include a domed top 904 wherein the top portion 110 has a thickness of material 906 between the underside 122 and the top surface 116. Two channels 908 can be formed substantially horizontally through the material 906 forming the top portion 110. The two channels 908 can pass entirely through the top portion 110 or, in some instances, may each have one open end with the other ends transitioning into each other for instance, forming an interior “U”-shaped channel. The channel(s) 908 can have a circular cross section. Furthermore, the top portion 110 can have a first side opening 910 and / or a second side opening 912 which provide access to the channel(s) 908. For example, the first side opening 910 and / or the second side opening 912 can be an elongated opening 914 that transitions into the two channel(s) 908 (e.g., circular channels). The material 906 forming the top portion 110 can have a greater or smaller thickness which can correspond to different anatomy shapes and sizes. For instance, a kit of a plurality of suture-to-implant adapters 102 may have a plurality of different domed tops 904 and / or top portions 110 having different height dimensions and / or shapes or curves (e.g., or flat tops) such that the surgeon can select a particular suture-to-implant adapter 102 that fits each use case. Also, in situations where the top portion 110 is the domed top 904, the thickness of material 906 can be rounded and / or curved. Edges 916 around the first opening 910 and / or the second side opening 912 can also be rounded or curved. An interior post 918 between the two channels 908 can be an elongated width post 920, such as an obround shape (e.g., from a top sectional view 921) with flat sides 922 transitioning into rounded sides 924. These rounded / curved features can improve slidability of the suture 104 through the channel(s) 908, around the interior post 918, and / or out of the first side opening 910 and / orsecond side opening 912. Some situations may involve integrating the suture-to-implant adapter 102 into other components of an implant system, such as the metacarpal joint arthroplasty implant system 1206 discussed, in which case the domed top 904 can be omitted.

[0052] Additionally, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include one or more mating holes 926 or indents for connecting the suture-to-implant adapter 102 to the implant 106 (e.g., the thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem 608 and / or 209). For example, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include three mating holes 926 formed into the top portion 110 with center axes oriented substantially vertically (e.g., in a direction towards the protrusion 114) and / or at an angle (e.g., a perpendicular angle) with the channels 908. The three mating holes 926 can be spaced apart such that, from the top sectional view 921 , conceptual lines passing over the center points of the mating holes 926 and meeting at the center 928 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 form an angle between 25-35° (e.g., 30°), which is defined as a “mating hole separation angle” 930. The three mating holes 926 can be positioned inset a same distance from the outer circumference 932 of the top portion 110. Moreover, the mating hole(s) 926 can be formed onto a top surface 934 of the top portion 100 (e.g., off-center and / or proximate to the outer circumference 932). In some cases, two sets of mating hole(s) 926 can be disposed on opposite sides of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 (e.g., from the top sectional view 921). Also, the side of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 including the mating hole(s) 926 can be disposed between the sides of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 including the first side opening 910 and the second side opening 912 (e.g., the side openings for accessing the channel(s) 908). As discussed in greater detail below regarding FIG. 12A, the implant 106 can include one or more protrusion(s) 1202 operable to mate with the mating hole(s) 926, such that the arrangement of mating hole(s) 926 can provide multiple selectable options for adjusting a rotational position of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 relative to the implant 106. It is to be understood that, in some cases, any of the mating hole(s) 926 discussed herein can be replaced with the protrusion(s) 1202, and the protrusion(s) 1202 can be replaced with the mating hole(s) 926, to have the same effect. In other words, any female components can be converted to male components and, vice versa, any male components can be converted to female components in any or all configurations of this disclosure while remaining within the presently disclosed concepts. For instance, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include one or more pin protrusions to mate with one or more holes formed in the stem at the periphery surrounding the morse taper hole, thus converting the suture-to-implant adapters 102 from a female to a male in any configurations disclosed herein.

[0053] FIG. 10 illustrates an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIG. 10, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be a spool-head adapter 1002 including a central channel 1004disposed between a top cap 1006 and a flange 1008 (e.g., from an elevation view 1009). The system(s) 100 depicted in FIG. 10, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0054] In some scenarios, the top portion 110 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be defined to have a spool-like shape 1010 by the top cap 1006, one or more interior post(s) 1012, and the flange 1008. The interior post(s) 1012 can have a width dimension 1014 (individually and / or collectively) being less than a width dimension of the top cap 1006 and / or the flange 1008, such that a circumferential groove 1016 is defined between the flange 1008 and the top cap 1006. The top cap 1006 and the flange 1008 can have similar or identical width dimensions or different width dimensions. Also, the top cap 1006 can have a rounded, domed, and / or curved top surface with a flat undersurface. Moreover, the flange 1008 can have a flat top surface 1018 and a flat undersurface 1020 separated by a thickness of material 1022 in the vertical dimension (e.g., from the elevation view 1009). Like the double-barreled adapter 902 discussed above, the surfaces of the top cap 1006, the flange 1008, and / or the interior post 1012 can have rounded corners / edges.

[0055] Additionally, the central channel 1004 can be formed through the interior post 1012 extending from one side of the interior post 1012 to another side, (e.g., from a top sectional view 1013), with openings to the channel 1004 on either side of the interior post 1012. As such, the interior post 1012 can be divided into two half-posts 1024 by the central channel 1004. The two half-posts 1024 can be substantially symmetrical and can have cross-sectional profiles of circular segments with rounded corners 1026. The central channel 1004 can have a cross-sectional profile of an obround, a circle, a square, or another cross-sectional profile shape. Moreover, an outer surface of the interior post 1012 can be concave.

[0056] In some examples, the flange 1008 can include one or more mating hole(s) 926, such as a plurality of mating holes 1028. The plurality of mating holes 1028 can be positioned inset a same distance from the outer circumference 932 and / or can be evenly / uniformly distributed around the flange 1008. The plurality of mating holes 1028 can include twelve mating holes 926 with a 30° mating hole separation angle 930. Other arrangements of the plurality of mating holes 1028 can also be implemented, such as three mating holes 926 with a 120° mating hole separation angle 930; four mating holes 926 with a 90° mating hole separation angle 930; five mating holes 926 with a 72° mating hole separation angle 930; six mating holes 926 with a 60° mating hole separation angle 930; seven mating holes 926 with a 51.4° mating hole separation angle 930; eight mating holes 926 with a 45° mating hole separation angle 930; nine mating holes 926 with a 40° mating hole separation angle 930; ten mating holes 926 with a 36° mating hole separation angle 930; eleven mating holes 926 with a 32.7° mating hole separation angle 930, or so forth. Additionally, the plurality of matingholes 1028 can be arranged around the flange 1006 in sets or clusters, with a first separation distance between mating holes 926 in the same set, and a second and larger separation distance between the different sets. The number and arrangement of mating holes 926 on the flange 1006 can be optimized for a particular use case to include an optimal number of selectable rotational position options for the suture-to-implant adapter 102 and / or to maximize manufacturing or material costs efficiencies. Also, the mating holes 926 discussed herein can pass through the flange 1006 or can be substituted with indents at the underside 1020 of the flange 1006 not passing fully through the flange 1006.

[0057] FIGS. 11A-11F illustrate an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIGS. 11A-11F, methods of using the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include one or more suture wrapping configurations 1102, which can correspond to one or more adapter form factors. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 11A-11F, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein. Additionally, any aspect of one suture wrapping configuration 1102 disclosed herein can be combined with any aspect of any other suture wrapping configuration 1102 disclosed herein. It is to be understood that the disclosed suture wrapping configurations 1102 shown in FIGS. 11A-11F are merely examples and other suture wrapping configurations are contemplated while staying within this disclosure.

[0058] Turning to FIG. 11 A, in some cases, a first suture wrapping configuration 1104 can include a top wrap configuration 1106. The top wrap configuration 1106 can involve any configuration where the suture 104 passes through the top portion 110 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102, wraps around a feature (e.g., a post, protrusion, interior wall, etc.) in the top portion 110, and exits from the top portion 110 (e.g., from the side 1108 of the top portion 110, the top surface 1110 of the top portion 110, or both).

[0059] FIG. 11 B depicts a second suture wrapping configuration 1112 which can be a deep wrap configuration 1114. The deep wrap configuration 1114 can include any configuration where the suture 104 passes through the top portion 110 and into an interior area of the protrusion 114 (e.g., the morse taper). There, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can wrap around a feature (e.g., a post, protrusion, interior wall, etc.) in the protrusion 114, with both lines of the suture 104 extending back up from the protrusion 114 into the top portion 110 and exiting from the top portion 110 (e.g., from the side 1108 of the top portion 110, the top surface 1110 of the top portion 110, or both).

[0060] FIG. 11C depicts a third suture wrapping configuration 1116 which can be a double barrel wrapping configuration 1118. The double barrel wrapping configuration 1118 caninclude any configuration where the suture 104 passes through a first channel 1120 of the two channels 908 and a second channel 1122 of the two channels 908. For instance, the two lines of the suture 104 can pass through the first side opening 910 and into the two channels 1120 and 1122, wrapping around the interior post 918 at the second side opening 918 (e.g., at an opposite side from the first side opening 910).

[0061] FIGS. 11D and 11F depict a fourth suture wrapping configuration 1124 which can be a post wrap configuration 1126. The post wrap configuration 1126 can include passing one line of the suture 104 through the channel 908 at a first side 1128 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102, such as the central channel 1004, and wrapping the second line of the suture 104 around a section of the top portion 110, such as the circumferential groove 1016 defined between the flange 1008 and the top cap 1006. This second line can then pass through the channel at the first side 1128, such that both the first line and the second line exit out of the second side 1130 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 opposite from the first side 1128. Although these examples show channels 908 being linear channels, it is to be understood that some example may include curved and / or non-linear channels. Moreover, as seen in FIG.11 F, the post-wrap configuration 1126 can have two different arrangements, the first arrangement being the centrally-exiting lines arrangement 1127 discussed with respect to 11D and also shown in 11 F. The second arrangement of the post-wrap configuration 1126 can be a circumferentially-exiting lines arrangement 1129 in which the lines exit from the circumferential groove 1016, looping around both of the two half-posts 1024 and through the central channel 1004 twice, while also looping around a backside of the circumferential groove 1016.

[0062] Additionally, turning back to FIG. 11D, a fifth suture wrapping configuration 1132 can be a slanted wrap configuration 1134. For example the top portion 110 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can include slanted (e.g., non-perpendicular) features relative to a central axis 1135 (e.g., a y-axis) extending from a center point of the top portion 110. These can include a slanted top dome 1136, a slanted circumferential groove 1138, a slanted flange 1140 (e.g., and / or a flange 1008 with a thickness 1022 that tapers / decreases from one side to the other), a slanted channel, and / or any combination thereof. In other examples discussed herein, one or more of the features of the top portion 110 can extend perpendicularly (e.g., non-slanted) relative to the central axis 1135.

[0063] FIG. 11E depicts sixth suture wrapping configuration 1142 which can be a single outlet configuration 1144. For instance, the single outlet configuration 1144 can include any configuration where a single line 1146 of the suture 110 passes out one opening 1148 in the top portion 110 (e.g., the top surface 116 or a side of the top portion 110). The end 1150 of the line 1146 can include a stopper 1152, such as a knot or other additional material (e.g., abead, ball, washer, etc.), which is positioned in a interior cavity 1154 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 (e.g., in the protrusion 114 and / or in the top portion 110). The stopper 1152 can have a first width dimension greater than a second width dimension of a channel 1156 (e.g., a vertical channel) through which the line 1150 passes, causing the stopper 1152 to act as a stop or shank preventing the line 1150 from pulling out of the suture-to-implant adapter and securing the suture 104 in place.

[0064] Additionally, FIG. 11 E depicts a seventh suture wrapping configuration 1158 which can be a double outlet configuration 1160. The double outlet configuration 1160 can include any configuration in which both lines of the suture 104 exit out the suture-to-implant adapter 102. For example, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can have two openings 1162 for receiving the suture 104, and a feature inside around which the suture 104 wraps (e.g., a post, protrusion, interior wall, etc.). Both of the two openings 1162 can be positioned on the top surface 116 of the top portion 110, on a side 1162 of the top portion 110, or one opening of the two openings 1162 can be positioned on the top surface 116 with the other opening of the two openings 1162 positioned on the side 1108.

[0065] FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106. As depicted in FIGS. 12A and 12B, an adapter procedure 1202 can include various adjustable alignment parameters 1204. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 12A and 12B, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0066] Turning to FIG. 12A, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be integrated into a metacarpal joint arthroplasty implant system 1206. For instance, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can form a part of an adapter 1208 that includes a morse taper 1210, a neck 1212, and a ball joint 1214. The neck 1212 can be a straight neck aligned with the morse taper 1210 or an angled neck forming a non-180° angle with the morse taper 1210. Also, the morse taper 1210 can be operable to mate with an implant stem 1216, and the ball joint 1214 can be operable to mate with a trapezium cup 1218. Any of the example suture-to-implant adapters 102 disclose herein can be integrated into the adapter 1208 of the metacarpal joint arthroplasty implant system 1206, for instance, by integrating the top portion 110 into a lower portion 1220 of the neck 1212. Also, the domed top 904 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can be shaped to replace the ball joint 1214 of the adapter 1208, or the neck 1212 and ball joint 1214 can extend from the top portion 110.

[0067] In some cases, the implant stem 1216 can include a protrusion 1222 extending from a circumferential face 1224 of the implant stem 1216. The protrusion 1222 can be a pinor rod with a shape corresponding to the mating hole(s) 926 formed into the suture-to-implant adapter 102. In this way, the protrusion 1222 can provide an adjustable alignment parameter 1204 via the multiple mating hole options corresponding to different rotational positions of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 relative to the implant stem 1216. For example, suture-to-implant adapters 102 with three mating holes 926 can provide three selectable rotational position options based on which mating hole 926 is selected to mate with the protrusion 1222. Moreover, suture-to-implant adapters 102 with twelve mating holes 926 can provide twelve selectable rotational position options. In cases where the mating holes 926 have a 30° mating hole separation angle 930, the selectable rotational position options can be 30° apart. In other words, the number of mating holes 926 can define the number of selectable rotational position options, and the hole separation angle 930 can define the angular difference between the selectable rotational position options. In this way, the user of the suture-to-implant adapter 102 can adjust and dial in the pronation and / or supination of the implant 106 relative to the secondary bone (e.g., metacarpal II) being attached to the implant 106 via the suture 104.

[0068] FIG. 12B depicts an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106 by using a spacer 1226. The spacer can be a flat or curved unit with a thickness 1228 designed to create a predetermined space between the two bones being adjoined by the suture 104. The spacer 1226 can be a circular spacer, square spacer, irregular shaped spacer, or so forth. Moreover, the spacer 1226 can, in some cases, include a slot 1229 for sliding the spacer onto the suture 104, and a pathway 1230 for receiving the suture 104 during the adapter procedure 1202 (e.g., with the pathway 1230 having a greater width dimension than the slot 1229). In other cases, the spacer 1226 can omit the slot 1229, for instance, where the spacer 1226 is formed of a bioabsorbable and / or dissolvable material, or in scenarios where the surgeon passes the end of the suture 104 through the pathway 1230 prior to attaching the suture to the receiving bone 1232. A method of using the spacer 1226 can include securing the suture-to-implant adapter 102 to the implant 106, positioning the suture 104 through the spacer 1226, tensioning the suture 104 by pulling the primary implant bone 1234 and the receiving bone 1232 against the spacer 1226 (e.g., such that the spacer 1226 abuts the primary implant bone 1234, the receiving bone 1232, or both), securing the suture 104 to the receiving bone 1232 while maintaining the tension, and removing the spacer 1226 to create a gap between the primary implant bone 1234 and the receiving bone 1232, a width dimension of the gap corresponding to the thickness 1228 of the spacer 1226. In this way, subjectiveness in the amount of tensioning for the suture 104 and / or size of the gap between bones can be reduced or eliminated, resulting in a consistent and accurate gap size between the receiving bone 1232 and the primary implant bone 1234. Furthermore, the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methodof using the spacer 1226 is an example approach. The order of steps can be rearranged, and any of these steps may be omitted, repeated, performed in parallel, performed in a different order, and / or combined with any other of the operations discussed throughout this disclosure.

[0069] FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate an example system 100 including the suture-to-implant adapter 102 for attaching the suture 104 to the implant 106 wherein the implant 106 includes a screw-type implant 1302. The system(s) 100 depicted in FIGS. 13A and 13B, and the components thereof, can be similar to, identical to, combined with, and / or can form at least a portion of any of the system(s) 100 disclosed herein.

[0070] In some examples, the method of suture suspensionplasty can insert the screwtype implant 1302 at the articular surface 1304 of the thumb metacarpal base 1306. The screw-type implant 1302 can include an outer thread 1308 (e.g., male thread) configured to be inserted into the articular surface 1304, for instance, via insertion into a hole drilled and tapped into the articular surface 1304. The outer surface of the screw-type implant 1302 may also include other types of coupling components, such as a textured surface or biologic coating to increase friction, adhesion or bone ingrowth. Additionally, the screw-type implant 1302 can include a receiving mechanism 1310 that can accept the implant-suture suspension device (e.g., the suture-to-implant adapter 102) to suspend the thumb metacarpal 204 from the adjacent index metacarpal bone 206. The receiving mechanism 1310 can be an indent, opening, or other type of receiving area shaped to mate with the corresponding protrusion 114 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102. The protrusion 114 may be a tapered protrusion operable to form a friction-fit with the indent. Moreover, the screw-type implant 1302 can include one or more of the protrusion(s) 1222, extending from its face, and operable to couple with the mating hole(s) 926 of the suture-to-implant adapter 102. Additionally, or alternatively, the protrusion 114 can include an outer thread (e.g., male thread) operable to mate with an inner thread (e.g., female thread) formed into the inner surface of the receiving mechanism 1310. Moreover, other coupling mechanisms can be deployed to attach the suture-to-implant adapter 102 to the screw-type implant 1302 (e.g., adhesive, rivets, spacers, shims, etc.). It is to be understood that any aspect of the receiving mechanism 1310 disclosed herein can be interchanged / reversed with any aspect of the protrusion 114 to couple the suture-to-implant adapter 102 to the screw-type implant 1302. For example, in some cases, the suture-to-implant adapter 102 may include the receiving mechanism 1310 and the protrusion 114 may extend from the screw-type adapter 1302.

[0071] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to various implementations, it will be understood that these implementations are illustrative and that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. More generally, implementations in accordancewith the present disclosure have been described in the context of particular implementations. Functionality may be separated or combined differently in various implementations of the disclosure or described with different terminology. Any feature from any example disclosed herein can be combined with any other feature. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims that follow.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMSreceived by the International Bureau on 31 July 2026 (31.07.2026)1. A medical implant system comprising:a suture-to-implant adapter, the suture-to-implant adapter including:a top portion having an opening forming a pass-through channel operable to receive a suture, anda protrusion extending from an underside of the top portion, the protrusion or a feature of the top portion being operable to be wrapped by a loop of the suture with the suture passing through the pass-through channel, and the protrusion having a width dimension such that the protrusion is sized to mate with a female connector of a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:the suture with one or more ends operable to pass through or connect to an index metacarpal.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:an anchor button operable to couple to a first line of the suture and a second line of the suture.

4. The system of claim 3,wherein,the anchor button couples to the suture a distance along the suture from the suture-to-implant adapter, the distance defining a connector portion of the suture, and the connector portion of the suture passes through a hole formed into an index metacarpal.

5. The system of claim 3,wherein,the anchor button includes a first hole for receiving the first line and a second hole for receiving the second line.

6. The system of claim 1 ,wherein,the top portion includes a double-barrel configuration or a spool-like configuration.

7. The system of claim 6,wherein,the spool-like configuration includes a circumferential groove defined between a top cap and a flange.

8. The system of claim 7,wherein,the top portion includes a plurality of mating holes formed into the flange.

9. The system of claim 1 ,wherein,the suture-to-implant adapter has a top hat configuration based on:the top portion having a circular profile,the protrusion having a circular profile, andthe top portion having a wider width dimension than the protrusion.

10. A medical implant system comprising:a suture;a prosthesis stem; anda suture-to-implant adapter, the suture-to-implant adapter including:a top portion having an opening, anda protrusion extending from the top portion, the protrusion having a side opening forming a pass-through channel with the central opening, the pass- through channel being operable to receive the suture, the protrusion or the topportion being operable to be wrapped by a loop of the suture upon passing the suture through the opening and into the pass-through channel, and the protrusion having a width dimension such that the protrusion is sized to mate with the prosthesis stem.

11. The system of claim 10,wherein,the prosthesis stem includes a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem.

12. The system of claim 10,wherein,the suture-to-implant adapter includes a morse taper.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:a tensional screw operable for anchoring one or more lines of the suture to a receiving bone.

14. The system of claim 13,wherein,the receiving bone is an index metacarpal, andthe tensional screw is inserted into a portion of the index metacarpal during a prosthesis implantation procedure.

15. A method of implanting a prosthesis, the method comprising:passing a suture through a channel formed into a top portion of a suture-to- implant adapter;wrapping a loop of the suture around a feature of the top portion or a protrusion extending from an underside of the suture-to-implant adapter;mating the protrusion with a female connector of a prosthesis stem; andsecuring one or more lines of the suture to a receiving bone.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:inserting the prosthesis stem into a bone being attached to the receiving bone, the bone being a thumb metacarpal, and the receiving bone being an index metacarpal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:tightening the loop of the suture around the top portion or the protrusion.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:positioning a spacer around the suture and adjacent to the receiving bone; tensioning the spacer; andsubsequent to the securing of the one or more lines of the suture, removing the spacer.

19. The method of claim 15,wherein,the securing of the one or more lines of the suture to the receiving bone includes anchoring the one or more lines to the receiving bone with an anchor button or an interference screw.

20. The method of claim 15,wherein,the mating of the protrusion with the female connector includes forming a press-fit engagement with the female connector of a thumb metacarpal prosthesis stem.

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