1462 results about "Femur" patented technology

A cartilage replacement or repair prosthesis comprises a layer of streamlined elastomer elements, preferably in the form of spheres, supported in a matrix material so that the radially opposed surfaces of the spheres are positioned on opposite surfaces of the layer and make contact with the opposed surfaces of the femur and tibia and the forces exerted between these bones extend through the streamlined elements. The matrix material has a substantially lower resistance to deformation than the spheres to control the position of the spheres relative to one another without significantly restraining their load-responsive deformation under forces exerted between the femur and tibia. The layer, with its elastomeric inserts, is sufficiently thin and flexible to allow it to be rolled for arthroscopic insertion into a knee joint.

A self-centering meniscal prosthesis device suitable for minimally invasive, surgical implantation into the cavity between a femoral condyle and the corresponding tibial plateau is composed of a hard, high modulus material shaped such that the contour of the device and the natural articulation of the knee exerts a restoring force on the free-floating device.

A replacement device for resurfacing a joint surface of a femur and a method of making and installing such a device is provided. The custom replacement device is designed to substantially fit the trochlear groove surface, of an individual femur. Thereby creating a "customized" replacement device for that individual femur and maintaining the original kinematics of the joint. The replacement device may be defined by four boundary points, and a first and a second surface. The first of four points is 3 to 5 mm from the point of attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament to the femur. The second point is near the bottom edge of the end of the natural articulatar cartilage. The third point is at the top ridge of the right condyle and the fourth point at the top ridge of the left condyle of the femur. The top surface is designed so as to maintain centrally directed tracking of the patella perpendicular to the plane established by the distal end of the femoral condyles and aligned with the center of the femoral head.

A self-centering meniscal prosthesis device suitable for minimally invasive, surgical implantation into the cavity between a femoral condyle and the corresponding tibial plateau is composed of a hard, high modulus material shaped such that the contour of the device and the natural articulation of the knee exerts a restoring force on the free-floating device.

A method of preparing an interpositional implant suitable for a knee. The method includes determining a three-dimensional shape of a tibial surface of the knee. An implant is produced having a superior surface and an inferior surface, with the superior surface adapted to be positioned against a femoral condyle of the knee, and the inferior surface adapted to be positioned upon the tibial surface of the knee, The inferior surface conforms to the three-dimensional shape of the tibial surface. The implant may be inserted into the knee without making surgical cuts on the tibial surface. The tibial surface may include cartilage, or cartilage and bone.

A knee implant includes a femoral component having first and second femoral component surfaces. The first femoral component surface is for securing to a surgically prepared compartment of a distal end of a femur. The second femoral component surface is configured to replicate the femoral condyle. The knee implant further includes a tibial component having first and second tibial component surfaces. The first tibial component surface is for contacting a proximal surface of the tibia that is substantially uncut subchondral bone. At least a portion of the first tibial component surface is a mirror image of the proximal tibial surface. The second tibial component surface articulates with the second femoral component surface.

A method of minimally invasive unicompartmental knee replacement includes accessing a knee through a minimal incision, forming a planar surface along a tibial plateau of the knee, forming a planar posterior surface along a posterior aspect of the corresponding femoral condyle, resurfacing a distal aspect of the femoral condyle to form a resurfaced area having a curved portion, implanting a prosthetic tibial component on the planar surface along the tibial plateau and implanting a prosthetic femoral component on the prepared surface of the femoral condyle formed by the planar posterior surface and the resurfaced area. The curved portion of the resurfaced area has an anterior-posterior curvature corresponding to a fixation surface of the prosthetic femoral component. Prior to implantation, the femur and tibia are prepared to receive fixation structure of the femoral and tibial components.

Instrumentation for use in minimally invasive unicompartmental knee replacement includes a tibial cutting guide for establishing a planar surface along a tibial plateau and a tibial stylus having an anatomic contour for controlling the depth of the planar surface along the tibial plateau. The instrumentation further comprises a posterior resection block for preparing a posterior femoral resection, with a forward portion of the posterior resection block having a configuration corresponding to the configuration of a prosthetic femoral component. Instrumentation comprising a resection block and a resurfacing guide are provided for surgically preparing a femoral condyle to receive a prosthetic femoral component. The instrumentation further includes a resurfacing guide and a resurfacing instrument for resurfacing a femoral condyle to a controlled depth. Instrumentation is provided for intramedullary alignment of femoral instruments. Also, instrumentation is provided for preparing the femur and tibia to receive fixation structure of prosthetic femoral and tibial components.

Novel cutting guides and surgical methods for use in knee arthroplasty are described. Embodiments of the inventive cutting guide apparatus include fixed and adjustable cutting guide blocks having a series of slots designed to accommodate a cutting saw. The cutting guides and surgical method are designed to allow for the provision of all desired surgical cuts upon the distal end of the femur, for subsequent implantation of a prosthesis thereto, without having to remove the cutting guide block.

The invention is a method for performing a minimally invasive knee arthroplasty and components for this procedure. The method involves creating an incision along the medial or lateral aspect of a patient's knee, exposing the knee joint, resecting the distal end of the femur, the proximal end of the tibia and the posterior patella through the medial or lateral incision, and connecting a femoral, tibial and patellar knee replacement component through the incision. Components include specialized femoral, tibial and patellar cutting guides for use in resecting the femur, tibia and patella through the medial or lateral incision. In one embodiment, the method is performed with the aid of an image guidance system. In another embodiment, the method is performed with instruments which align the components, such as the cutting guides, without the use of an image guidance system.

Knee prostheses featuring components that more faithfully replicate the structure and function of the human knee joint in order to provide, among other benefits: greater flexion of the knee in a more natural way by promoting or at least accommodating internal tibial rotation in a controlled way, replication of the natural screw home mechanism, and controlled articulation of the tibia and femur respective to each other in a more natural way. In a preferred embodiment, such prostheses include an insert component disposed between a femoral component and a tibial component, the insert component preferably featuring among other things a reversely contoured postereolateral bearing surface that helps impart internal rotation to the tibia as the knee flexes. Other surfaces can also be specially shaped to achieve similar results, preferably using iterative automated techniques that allow testing and iterative design taking into account a manageable set of major forces acting on the knee during normal functioning, together with information that is known about natural knee joint kinetics and kinematics.

A method is provided for performing a total knee arthroplasty. The method includes making a primary incision near a knee joint of a patient and resecting medial and lateral condyles of the femur of the leg to create at least one femoral cut surface. The resecting step is performed without dislocating the knee joint. The method also includes balancing various ligament tensions to obtain desired tension and moving a femoral component of a total knee implant through the primary incision. The method further includes positioning the femoral component with respect to the at least one femoral cut surface.

Methods and apparatus using a surgical navigation system to position the femoral component of a prosthetic hip during hip joint replacement surgery without separately affixing a marker to the femur. The navigation system acquires the center of rotation of the hip joint as well as at least one point on the femur in the pelvic frame of reference. From these two points, the navigation system calculates the position and length of a first line between the center of rotation of the hip joint and the point on the femur. Optionally, a second point on the femur that is not on the first line is palpated. The system can calculate the position and length of a second line that is perpendicular to the first line and that runs from the first line to the second palpated point on the femur. The prosthetic cup is implanted and its center of rotation is recorded. A tool for forming the bore within which the stem of the femoral implant component will be placed is tracked by the navigation system. While the tool is fixed to the femur, the surgeon re-palpates the same point(s) on the femur that were previously palpated. The navigation system calculates the position and length of a first line between the center of rotation of the prosthetic cup and the re-palpated first point. If a second point on the femur was re-palpated, the navigation system also calculates the position and length of a perpendicular line between the first line and the second point. The surgical navigation system uses this information to calculate and display to the surgeon relevant information about the surgery, such as change in the patient's leg length and / or medialization / lateralization of the joint.

The invention relates to a knee joint prosthesis having a bearing and a biologic ligament for replacing the articulating knee portion of a femur and a tibia. The knee joint prosthesis includes a femoral component, a tibial component, a bearing member, and a biologic ligament. The femoral component includes a first femoral bearing surface and a second femoral bearing surface. The tibial component includes a tibial bearing surface. The bearing member includes a first bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the first femoral bearing surface, a second bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the second femoral bearing surface and a third bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the tibial bearing surface. The biologic ligament is coupled to both the tibia and the femur to prevent the knee joint from dislocating and guiding the femoral component along a desired path during extension and flexion.

There is provided a method and system for determining a distal cut thickness and posterior cut thickness for a femur in a knee replacement operation, the method comprising: performing a tibial cut on a tibia; performing soft tissue balancing based on a desired limb alignment; measuring an extension gap between the femur and said tibial cut while in extension; measuring a flexion gap between the femur and the tibial cut while in flexion; calculating a distal cut thickness and a posterior cut thickness for the femur using the extension gap and the flexion gap and taking into account a distal thickness and posterior thickness of a femoral implant; and performing said femoral cut according to the distal cut thickness and posterior cut thickness.

A cutting device for being inserted into a knee joint between the tibia and the femur, wherein the cutting device is adapted for resecting bone from the femur to a desired depth in a path of travel of the tibia when located in the knee joint and operated as the tibia is moved through an arc of motion about the femur between backward and forward positions. A cutting device is also disclosed for being inserted into a knee joint between the tibia and the femur for resecting bone from the tibia to a desired depth to form a recess in a condyle of the tibia for reception of a tibial implant, comprising a body being located between the tibia and the femur, a cutter for resecting the bone from the tibia to form the recess and a drive mechanism for driving the cutter to resect the bone and being arranged in the body, wherein the cutter is mounted on the body and protrudes therefrom for resecting the bone from the tibia.

Instrumentation for surgically resurfacing a femoral condyle to receive a prosthetic femoral component in minimally invasive unicompartmental knee replacement surgery. The instrumentation includes a resurfacing guide for attachment to a femur and a rail member externally delineating an area of a femoral condyle of the femur that is to be surgically resurfaced to receive a prosthetic femoral component. The resurfacing guide has an abutment wall. The instrumentation includes a resurfacing instrument having a tissue removing surface for removing anatomical tissue from the delineated area of the femoral condyle, the tissue removing surface being movable along the delineated area to remove anatomical tissue therefrom. The resurfacing instrument has a engagement wall for contacting the abutment wall to limit the depth to which anatomical tissue is removed.

The invention relates to a knee joint prosthesis for replacing the articulating knee portion of a femur and a tibia. The knee joint prosthesis includes a femoral component, a tibial component, a bearing member, a guide post and a mechanically reconstructed ligament. The femoral component includes a first femoral bearing surface and a second femoral bearing surface. The tibial component includes a tibial bearing surface. The bearing member includes a first bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the first femoral bearing surface, a second bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the second femoral bearing surface and a third bearing surface which is operable to articulate with the tibial bearing surface. The guide post extends from the tibial component. The mechanically reconstructed ligament is coupled to both the tibial component and the femoral component to prevent the knee joints from dislocating and guiding the femoral component along a desired path during extension and flexion.

A modular knee implant system allows a surgeon to select between several different styles of distal femoral implant components and several different styles of stem extensions while also allowing for use of a metaphyseal component. The metaphyseal component can be a universal one that is usable with all of the styles of distal femoral implant components through use of an adapter. A second adapter allows for use of stem extensions with different types of connectors with the metaphyseal component. A separate metaphyseal component could also be provided with a distal Morse taper post to mate with a distal femoral component having a proximal Morse taper bore. The metaphyseal component may have an outer surface that is configured to maximize contact area with the patient's bone, and may have a surface finish over a substantial part of its overall length that is conducive to bone ingrowth.

A method of reconstructing a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in a human knee. Femoral and tibial tunnels are drilled into the femur and tibia. A transverse tunnel is drilled into the femur to intersect the femoral tunnel. A filamentary loop is threaded through the femoral tunnel and tibial tunnel and partially through the transverse tunnel. A replacement graft is formed into a loop and moved into the tibial tunnels using a surgical needle and suture. A flexible filamentary member is simultaneously moved along with the loop into the femoral and transverse tunnels. The filamentary member is used as a guide wire in the transverse tunnel to insert a cannulated cross-pin to secure a top of the looped graft in the femoral tunnel.

The invention relates generally to a method for implanting a uni-condylar knee prosthesis. The method includes steps for preparing the bone surfaces of both the femoral and tibial effected compartments. The femoral compartment is prepared by making a distal cut, a posterior cuts and a posterior chamfer cut. Holes that correspond to posts on the femoral component are also prepared. The tibial compartment is prepared using a cutting guide and following the sclerotic bone formation on the proximal tibia. At least one hole is prepared in the sloped cut tibial surface to use for alignment when cementing the tibial component that has an alignment peg.

Knee prostheses featuring components that more faithfully replicate the structure and function of the human knee joint in order to provide, among other benefits: greater flexion of the knee in a more natural way by promoting or at least accommodating internal tibial rotation in a controlled way, replication of the natural screw home mechanism, and controlled articulation of the tibia and femur respective to each other in a more natural way. In a preferred embodiment, such prostheses include an insert component disposed between a femoral component and a tibial component, the insert component preferably featuring among other things a reversely contoured posterolateral bearing surface that helps impart internal rotation to the tibia as the knee flexes. Other surfaces can also be specially shaped to achieve similar results, preferably using iterative automated techniques that allow testing and iterative design taking into account a manageable set of major forces acting on the knee during normal functioning, together with information that is known about natural knee joint kinetics and kinematics.

An acetabular shell liner having a variable rim surface geometry, which improves range of motion of the femoral component within the liner and decreases the incidence of dislocation and subluxation, and methods of making and using the acetabular shell liner. Prosthetic devices, more particularly hip joint prostheses, containing the acetabular shell liner having a variable rim surface geometry are also provided.

A knee replacement system provides a knee implant that may be used to more accurately replicate the diameter of a natural knee. In one embodiment, a patellofemoral component is connected to the posterior portion of a condylar component by screws that pass through the femur allowing the patellofemoral component and the condylar component to be torqued against opposing sides of the femur. Two additional screws are used to connect the patellofemoral component to an anterior portion of the condylar component. A gap may be left between the patellofemoral component and the anterior portion of the condylar component if needed to provide precise replication of the diameter of the natural knee from the patellofemoral component to the condylar component.

Novel cutting guides and surgical methods for use in knee arthroplasty are described. Embodiments of the inventive cutting guide apparatus include fixed and adjustable cutting guide blocks having a series of slots designed to accommodate a cutting saw. The cutting guides and surgical method are designed to allow for the provision of all desired surgical cuts upon the distal end of the femur, for subsequent implantation of a prosthesis thereto, without having to remove the cutting guide block.

There is provided an acetabular shell liner, and particularly a constrained liner, having a variable rim surface geometry to improve the range of motion of a femoral component within the liner and decrease the incidence of dislocation and subluxation. There are also provided methods of making and using the acetabular shell liner. Prosthetic devices, and particularly hip joint prostheses, containing the acetabular shell liner having a variable rim surface geometry are also provided.

Disclosed herein is a tool for guiding a drill hole along a central axis of a femur head and neck for preparation of a femur head that is the subject of a hip resurfacing surgery. In one embodiment, the tool includes a mating region and a guide hole. The mating region is configured to matingly receive a predetermined surface of the femur. The mating region and guide hole are positionally correlated or referenced with each other such that when the mating region matingly receives the predetermined surface of the femur, the guide hole will be generally coaxial with a central axis extending through the femur head and the femur neck.

The present invention has multiple aspects relating to assembled self fixing bone-tendon-bone (BTB) grafts and BTB implants. A preferred application in which self fixing assembled bone-tendon-bone (BTB) grafts and implants of the present technology can be used is for ACL repairs in a human patient. In one embodiment, a self fixing BTB graft is characterized by the presence of threads along at least a portion of the exterior surface of one or both bone blocks. In another embodiment, a self fixing assembled bone-tendon-bone implant comprises a removable tendon tensioner which imparts a predetermined tension on the tendon of the BTB graft. In this embodiment, the tensioner can be narrower than the diameter of the bone blocks or can be threaded such that the threads are continuous with the threads of at least one of the bone blocks. The threads facilitate the simultaneous implantation of the leading and trailing bone blocks of the BTB graft in tapped (threaded) holes in the tibia and the femur of a recipient patient. The tensioner maintains the tension on the tendon and the spacing between the bone blocks until the leading bone block is fixed (threaded) in the tapped hole in the femur and the trailing bone block is fixed (threaded) into the tapped tibial bone tunnel. Once the bone blocks are substantially in their fixed positions, the tensioner is removed arthroscopically in the joint space between the tibia and the femur.

A soft tissue fixation system, most typically applicable to orthopedic joint repairs, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee repair procedures, comprises an implant which is placeable in a tunnel disposed in a portion of bone, wherein the tunnel is defined by walls comprised of bone. A first member is deployable outwardly to engage the tunnel walls for anchoring the implant in place in the tunnel, and a second member is deployable outwardly to engage tissue material to be fixed within the tunnel. The second member also functions to move the tissue material outwardly into contact with the tunnel walls to promote tendon-bone fixation. Extra graft length is eliminated by compression of the tendon against the bone at the aperture of the femoral tunnel, which more closely replicates the native ACL and increases graft stiffness. The inventive device provides high fixation of tendon to bone and active tendon-bone compression. Graft strength has been found to be greater than 1,000 N (Newtons), which is desirable for ACL reconstruction systems.