SOCKET AND PROSTHESIS FOR JOINT REPLACEMENT

• US 20080177395A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert Stinnette
• Original Assignee: Albert Stinnette
• Inventors: Stinnette, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 7,909,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/20.22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/746 the longitudinal elements coupled to a plate opposite the femoral head
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/08 Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments sutures A61B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30749 Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/32 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/34 Acetabular cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3603 implanted without ablation of the whole natural femoral head endoprosthetic cartilage A61F2/30756
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3609 Femoral heads or necks; Connections of endoprosthetic heads or necks to endoprosthetic femoral shafts A61F2/3601 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4003 Replacing only the epiphyseal or metaphyseal parts of the humerus, i.e. endoprosthesis not comprising an entire humeral shaft replacing only the epiphyseal or metaphyseal parts of the femur A61F2/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30331 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30495 using a locking ring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/305 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3052 unrestrained in only one direction, e.g. moving unidirectionally
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30594 slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3085 with a threaded, e.g. self-tapping, bone-engaging surface, e.g. external surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30901 : longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3092 : having an open-celled or open-pored structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3401 : with radial apertures, e.g. radial bores for receiving fixation screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/342 : the outer shell having circumferential protrusions parallel to the equatorial plane, e.g. circumferential fins or wings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3611 : Heads or epiphyseal parts of femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/365 : Connections of heads to necks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4007 : implanted without ablation of the whole natural humeral head
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4022 : having a concave shape, e.g. hemispherical cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4085 : having a convex shape, e.g. hemispherical heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 : operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0023 : operated at different temperatures whilst inside or touching the human body, heated or cooled by external energy source or cold supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0008 : Fixation appliances for connecting prostheses to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable

Abstract

A joint replacement prosthesis and procedure reduce the number of steps to complete a joint replacement. The joint replacement prosthesis comprises a ball and socket unit that fixes the ball in the socket prior to surgery. The unit is coupled to a bone structure in the patient and is coupled with a prosthesis that is fixed to another bone of the patient, such as a femoral implant fixed in a femur and providing a coupling at the end of a neck portion that is easily fit into a femoral head and acetabulum unit. A tether may be used to retain the ball in the socket and/or the ball may be retained by extension in the socket that do not restrict patient motion.

Claims

1. A joint prosthesis for joint replacement surgery of a ball and socket joint of a patient, comprising:

a socket capable of fixation to a socket bone of the patient;

a unit comprised of a head having a ball surface, the head being pre-mounted and the ball surface being retained in the socket and capable of movement within the socket, such that the unit having the ball surface and the socket are operably fixed to the socket bone as a ball and socket unit; and

a coupling mechanism for coupling the ball surface to another bone in the patient.

2. The joint prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising a shell capable of mounting in a hollow formed in the socket bone of the patient, wherein the shell has a mounting mechanism for retaining the ball and socket unit in the shell.

3. The joint prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the shell is of a material having substantial elasticity.

4. The joint prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the shell is of a metal, and the shell has a plurality of segments coupled together, such that each of the plurality of segments is capable of elastically extending inwardly and outwardly such that loads applied to the shell are distributed to the bone in contact with the segments.

5. The joint prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the plurality of segments are joined integrally to a base portion of the shell.

6. The joint prosthesis of claim 1, wherein a ball surface is retained in the socket by a flexible ligament attaching the head to the socket.

7. The joint prosthesis of claim 6, wherein the ligament is fixed in the head by a plug.

8. The joint prosthesis of claim 7, wherein the plug is of a cured resinous material.

9. The joint prosthesis of claim 6, wherein the ligament is fixed in the socket by a plug.

10. The joint prosthesis of claim 9, wherein the plug is attached to the socket bone using a ratchet mechanism.

11. The joint prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the head has a body and the body of the head has a cavity opposite of the ball surface shaped to fit a shaved femoral head.

12. The joint prosthesis of claim 11, wherein a coupling mechanism extends outwardly from the body of the head into the cavity.

13. The joint prosthesis of claim 12, wherein the coupling mechanism has internal threads for mating with the machine screw.

14. The joint prosthesis of claim 12, wherein the coupling mechanism is a quick connect mechanism.

15. The joint prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the quick connect mechanism is part of a ratchet mechanism.

16. The joint prosthesis of claim 6, wherein the head comprises an orb having a connecting mechanism for connecting to the ligament extending into the ball surface and a recess in an opposite surface of the orb for connecting to a connecting end of a prosthetic neck.

17. The joint prosthesis of claim 16, further comprising a retention ring retaining the connecting end of the prosthesis neck in the recess.

18. The joint prosthesis of claim 16, wherein the ball surface is of a hard material such that the ball surface is resistant to wear and a material defining the recess is of a tough material different than the hard material, such that the material defining the recess resists fracture and shock.

19. The joint prosthesis of claim 6, further comprising a connecting member, a retention mechanism, and a ratchet mechanism, and the connecting member extends from a connection with the head to a distal end of the connecting member capable of being coupled to the retention mechanism using the ratchet mechanism.

20. A prosthesis for repairing a joint between a bone having a ball portion of the joint and a socket structure in a patient, comprising:

a shell having an arcuate inner surface and a hole passing through the shell and the hole has a countersunk portion extending from the inner surface;

a ball unit having an arcuate outer surface capable of articulated motion in the arcuate inner surface of the shell and a cavity extending into the ball unit from the arcuate outer surface of the ball unit;

a first fixing device and a second fixing device, each having a ratchet mechanism;

an attachment mechanism comprised of the first fixing device, a first coupling member, a ligament, and a second coupling member, wherein the ligament couples the first coupling member to the second coupling member, and the first coupling member has a first end and a second end opposite of the first end, the first end having external ridges capable of engaging the ratchet mechanism of the first fixing device, the second end having a flange shaped to engage with the countersunk portion of the shell and the second coupling member is capable of coupling with the cavity of the ball unit;

an extension member capable of coupling to the second coupling member; and

a coupling device comprising of a cannulated member and the second fixing device, the cannulated member having a first end and a second end, opposite of the first end, and ridges extending from an exterior surface of the cannulated member, the second fixing device having a contact surface, such that, when the prosthesis is surgically implanted in the patient, the ball unit is attached to the bone having the ball portion, after removing a portion of the ball portion, and the contact surface of the second fixing member contacts a surface of the bone opposite of the ball unit, tensioning the cannulated member between the first end attached to the extension member and the second end attached by the ratchet mechanism of the second fixing device to the surface of the bone opposite of the ball unit.

21. An attachment mechanism for a prosthetic device used in repair of a ball and socket joint, comprising:

a fixing device having a ratchet mechanism,

a first coupling member,

a ligament,

and a second coupling member,

wherein the ligament couples the first coupling member to the second coupling member, and

the first coupling member has a first end and a second end opposite of the first end, the first end having external ridges capable of engaging the ratchet mechanism of the fixing device, the second end having a cylindrical surface and a retainer extending outwardly from the cylindrical surface, and

the second coupling member being capable of coupling to a ball of the ball and socket joint.

22. A prosthesis for repairing a joint comprising:

a ball and socket unit comprising the attachment mechanism of claim 21.

23. The prosthesis according to claim 22, wherein the ball and socket unit comprises:

a shell having an arcuate inner surface, a hole passing through the shell and the arcuate inner surface, and a countersunk portion surrounding the hole in the arcuate inner surface such that the retainer fits in the countersunk portion retaining the second end of the first coupling member in the hole of the shell; and

a ball unit, having an arcuate outer surface capable of articulated motion in the arcuate inner surface of the shell and being coupled to the second coupling member.

24. The prosthesis according to claim 23, further comprising:

an extension member coupling the ball unit to a coupling device fixing the ball unit to a bone of the patient.

25. The prosthesis according to claim 24, wherein the shell is fixed to a socket structures of the patient using a bushing member implanted within a hole formed in the socket structures of the patient and a compression member attached to the shell and inserted into the bushing member outwardly compressing the bushing member into the sides of the socket structure defining the hole formed in the socket structure.

26. The prosthesis according to claim 25, wherein the compression member is removably attached to the shell.