Articular Implants Providing Lower Adjacent Cartilage Wear

• US 20090222103A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Conformis Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Conformis Incorporated
• Inventors: Minas, Thomas, Bojarski, Raymond, Fitz, Wolfgang
• Application Number:
  US12/398,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222103A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/18.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30756 Cartilage endoprostheses A61F2/3603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30942 for designing or making customized prostheses, e.g. using templates, CT or NMR scans, finite-element analysis or CAD-CAM techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3872 Meniscus for implantation between the natural bone surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3877 Patellae or trochleae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30535 Special structural features of bone or joint prostheses not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30962 using stereolithography
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30963 using templates, e.g. grid charts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3895 unicompartimental
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0058 Additional features; Implant or prostheses properties not otherwise provided for

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for repairing articular surfaces. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function.

Claims

1. An articular resurfacing implant for a surface of a joint, comprising:

a body having an outer bearing surface for facing a cavity of the joint, an inner mounting surface for facing bone, and a peripheral edge having a portion for abutting adjacent articular cartilage, wherein the portion of the peripheral edge for abutting adjacent articular cartilage has an inward cant.

2. The implant of claim 1, wherein the inner mounting surface substantially conforms to the joint surface comprising the implantation site.

3. The implant of claim 1, wherein the inner mounting surface substantially conforms to uncut subchondral bone of the joint surface comprising the implantation site.

4. The implant of claim 1, wherein the shape of the inner mounting surface approximates uncut subchondral bone of the joint surface comprising the implantation site.

5. The implant of claim 1, wherein the inner mounting surface achieves a near-anatomic fit with uncut subchondral bone of the joint surface comprising the implantation site.

6. The implant of claim 1, wherein the dimensions of the outer bearing surface achieve a near-anatomic fit with adjacent articular cartilage at the implantation site.

7. The implant of claim 1, wherein the implant has a curvature and thickness similar to that of adjacent articular cartilage.

8. The implant of claim 1, wherein the inner surface is at least partially derived from patient-specific data.

9. The implant of claim 8, wherein the patient-specific data is obtained from an image of the joint.

10. The implant of claim 1, wherein the inner mounting surface further comprises an anchor for securing the implant.

11. The implant of claim 9, wherein the anchor is selected from the group consisting of keels, pegs, nubs, rods, ridges, pins, cross-members, teeth, lugs and protrusions.

12. The implant of claim 9, wherein the anchor is integral to the implant.

13. The implant of claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least one of a polymer(s), a ceramic(s), a metal(s) and a ceramic-metal composite(s).

14. The implant of claim 1, wherein the contour of the peripheral edge is derived from patient-specific data.

15. The implant of claim 14, wherein the patient-specific data is obtained from an image of the joint.

16. The implant of claim 1, wherein the implant has a thickness of about 1 to 10 mm.

17. The implant of claim 1, wherein the implant is for a hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, spine, elbow or wrist.

18. The implant of claim 1, wherein the implant is at least one of a uni-, bi- or tricompartmental femoral resurfacing implant.

19. A method of securing an articular resurfacing implant to a surface of a joint including adjacent articular cartilage, comprising:

providing an articular resurfacing implant having a body including a superior surface for facing an opposing articular surface of the joint, an inferior surface for facing bone, and a peripheral edge having a portion for abutting adjacent articular cartilage, wherein the portion of the peripheral edge for abutting adjacent articular cartilage has an inward cant;

preparing the implantation site of the joint surface to receive the implant; and

securing the implant to the prepared implant site, wherein the portion of the peripheral edge for abutting adjacent articular cartilage is inserted under the adjacent articular cartilage.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising inserting a section of the peripheral edge for abutting adjacent articular cartilage in subchondral bone.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the preparation of the implantation site includes milling a groove in the subchondral bone to receive the portion of the peripheral edge for abutting adjacent articular cartilage.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the inferior surface of the implant substantially conforms to the joint surface comprising the implantation site.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the inferior surface of the implant substantially conforms to uncut subchondral bone of the joint surface comprising the implantation site.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the implant has a curvature and thickness similar to that of adjacent articular cartilage.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the inferior surface of the implant further comprises an anchor for securing the implant.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the anchor is selected from the group consisting of keels, pegs, nubs, rods, ridges, pins, cross-members, lugs, teeth and protrusions.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the implant body comprises polymer(s), ceramic(s), metal(s) and/or ceramic-metal composite(s).

28. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the inner surface and the margins of the portion of the peripheral edge for abutting adjacent articular cartilage is at least partially derived from patient-specific data.

29. The implant of claim 28, wherein the patient-specific data is obtained from an image of the joint.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the implant has a thickness of about 1 to 10 mm.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the implant is for a hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow or wrist.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the implant is a uni-, bi- or tricompartmental femoral resurfacing implant.

33. An articular resurfacing implant for a surface of a joint, the implant comprising:

a superior surface for facing a cavity of the joint;

an inferior mounting surface for facing bone; and

a peripheral edge for placement adjacent to articular cartilage, wherein at least a portion of the peripheral edge includes an inward cant towards the bone such that abutting cartilage overlays the cant upon implantation.