Multi-part implants for combined repair of hyaline and meniscal cartilage in joints
First Claim
1. A surgical implant for replacing at least one segment of meniscal cartilage in a mammalian knee, comprising:
- a. at least one anchoring rim component, which is sized to be affixed to a tibial bone, and which is positioned around or adjacent to at least one outer edge of an anchoring base of said surgical implant;
b. at least one flexible polymer component, sized to replace a segment of meniscal cartilage, and affixed to said anchoring component; and
,c. at least one flexible securing component affixed to said flexible polymer component, and suited for fixation to soft tissue in a knee joint.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Surgical implants use combined anchoring components to replace meniscal or labral cartilage, in ways that provide strong reinforcement while emulating natural anchoring. An arc-shaped polymer segment is coupled to an anchoring rim made of shape-memory material, which will fit into a groove prepared in a bone surface using specialized tools. A fabric material or anchoring ring is provided above the polymer segment, and can be secured to a knee capsule or other soft tissue. Fabric strips can extend out from the tips of the polymer arc, for additional anchoring. An additional polymer segment can also be provided to replace a hyaline cartilage layer, with a porous bottom surface to promote tissue ingrowth. By using peripheral rather than central anchoring, such implants can be given very high strength and stbility, to last for multiple decades.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A surgical implant for replacing at least one segment of meniscal cartilage in a mammalian knee, comprising:
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a. at least one anchoring rim component, which is sized to be affixed to a tibial bone, and which is positioned around or adjacent to at least one outer edge of an anchoring base of said surgical implant; b. at least one flexible polymer component, sized to replace a segment of meniscal cartilage, and affixed to said anchoring component; and
,c. at least one flexible securing component affixed to said flexible polymer component, and suited for fixation to soft tissue in a knee joint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical implant for replacing hyaline cartilage and meniscal or labral cartilage in a mammalian joint, comprising:
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a. at least one first polymer component made of a nonrigid hydrophilic polymer which is sized to replace a segment of hyaline cartilage, wherein said first polymer component has both (i) a porous anchoring surface which will promote tissue ingrowth into said anchoring surface after surgical implantation, and (ii) a smooth and wettable articulating surface which will replace an articulating surface of natural hyaline cartilage; b. at least one second polymer component made of a nonrigid hydrophilic polymer, which is sized to replace a segment of meniscal or labral cartilage in a mammalian joint, wherein said second polymer component is provided with at least one smooth and wettable articulating surface; c. at least one anchoring component, sized to be affixed to a bone; and
,d. means for affixing said first and second polymer components to said anchoring component. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for repairing a mammalian joint having at least one hyaline cartilage surface and at least one meniscal or labral cartilage surface, comprising the following steps:
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a. creating a prepared subchondral bone surface that will receive and support a prosthetic implant, by preparing a smooth surface on at least a portion of a bone; b. anchoring a joint resurfacing implant to said prepared subchondral bone surface, wherein said joint resurfacing implant comprises;
(i) at least one anchoring component sized to be affixed to subchondral bone;
(ii) at least one first polymer component designed to replace a hyaline cartilage segment and which is affixed to said anchoring component; and
, (iii) at least one second polymer component sized to replace a meniscal or labral cartilage segment. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for resurfacing a joint surface having a hyaline cartilage surface, comprising:
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a. smoothing a joint surface to a subchondral bone layer; b. forming at least one cavity in said subchondral bone layer, underlying a peripheral portion of said subchondral bone layer; and
,c. anchoring a joint resurfacing implant to said subchondral bone layer, with at least one anchoring portion of said joint resurfacing implant extending into said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification