Total Knee Prosthesis and Method for Total Knee Arthroplasty

• US 20090306783A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael F. Blum
• Original Assignee: Michael F. Blum
• Inventors: Blum, Michael F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/20.210
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1714 for applying tendons or ligaments implements for applying tendons or ligaments A61F2/0805
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3836 Special connection between upper and lower leg, e.g. constrained
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 modular

Abstract

A prosthetic knee implant for implantation into a mammal, which accommodates an anterior cruciate ligament substitute to provide stability to the knee implant. The prosthetic knee implant includes a femoral component having a pair of condylar surfaces and a tibial component having a surface portion adapted to slidably engage the femoral component upon rotation of the same. The femoral component further includes a recess between the condyles defining an aperture through the femoral component. The tibial component further includes a center portion defining an aperture through the tibial component substantially at its center. The femoral aperture and the tibial aperture are adapted to receive an anterior cruciate ligament substitute for biasing the mammalian femur and tibia together. Also disclosed is a method used to replace the total knee joint in a mammal with the improved prosthetic knee implant of the present invention.

Claims

1. A prosthetic knee implant, comprising

a. a femoral component for fixation to the lower portion of a mammalian femur, said femoral component including a medial and lateral condyle;

b. a tibial component for fixation to the upper portion of a mammalian tibia, said tibial component including a surface portion adapted to slidably engage said femoral component upon rotation of said same;

c. wherein said femoral component includes a recess between said medial and lateral condyles defining an aperture through said femoral component;

d. wherein said tibial component includes a center portion defining an aperture through said tibial component substantially at its center; and

,

e. wherein said femoral aperture and said tibial aperture are adapted to receive an anterior cruciate ligament substitute for biasing said mammalian femur and said mammalian tibia together.

2. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 1, further comprising an anterior cruciate ligament substitute having one end disposed longitudinally through said femoral aperture and anchored to said femur, and having its other end disposed longitudinally through said tibial aperture and anchored to said tibia.

3. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 2, wherein each end of said ligament substitute extends through a bone and is anchored onto an exterior surface of said bone.

4. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 3, wherein each end of said ligament substitute includes a self-anchoring umbrella type anchor.

5. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 4, wherein each said aperture is adapted to receive a drill guide.

6. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 5, further comprising a drill guide adapted to cooperatively engage said femoral aperture for providing a temporary guide for drilling a channel through said femur, and wherein said drill guide is shaped to have a portion fit between said femoral condyles when engaged with said femoral aperture.

7. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 1, wherein said femoral component includes a tibial axis of rotation relative to the lower end of said femur and bisecting each said femoral condyle, and wherein said femoral aperture is positioned along said tibial rotational axis.

8. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 7, wherein each said aperture is adapted to receive a drill guide.

9. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 8, wherein each said aperture are positioned relative to one another such that a drilled channel through said tibial aperture and a drilled channel through said femoral aperture are in single axis alignment.

10. The prosthetic implant of claim 1, wherein said femoral component recess and said tibial component center portion are oriented along an axis generally parallel to that of an anatomic anterior cruciate ligament.

11. The prosthetic implant of claim 10, further comprising an anterior cruciate ligament substitute having one end disposed longitudinally through said femoral aperture and anchored to said femur, and having its other end disposed longitudinally through said tibial aperture and anchored to said tibia.

12. The prosthetic implant of claim 11, wherein each end of said ligament substitute extends through a bone and is anchored onto an exterior surface of said bone.

13. The prosthetic implant of claim 12, wherein each end of said ligament substitute includes a self-anchoring umbrella type anchor.

14. The invention of claim 1, wherein said femoral component recess and said tibial component center portion are oriented along an axis passing through the anterior part of the intercondylar eminence of said tibia and the posterior part of the medial aspect of said lateral femoral condyle.

15. The prosthetic implant of claim 14, further comprising an anterior cruciate ligament substitute having one end disposed longitudinally through said femoral aperture and anchored to said femur, and having its other end disposed longitudinally through said tibial aperture and anchored to said tibia.

16. The prosthetic implant of claim 15, wherein each said aperture is adapted to receive a drill guide.

17. A prosthetic knee implant, comprising:

a. a femoral component means affixed to and replacing a lower portion of a mammalian femur, said femoral component means including a medial and lateral condyle;

b. a tibial component means affixed to and replacing an upper portion of a mammalian tibia, said tibial component including a surface adapted to slidably engage said femoral component means upon rotation of said same;

c. wherein said femoral component means includes a recess between said medial and lateral condyles defining an aperture through said femoral component means;

d. wherein said tibial component means includes a center portion defining an aperture through said tibial component means substantially at its center; and

,

e. wherein said aperture in said femoral component means and said aperture in said tibial component means are adapted to receive an anterior cruciate ligament substitute for biasing said mammalian femur and said mammalian tibia together.

18. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 17, further comprising an anterior cruciate ligament substitute having one end disposed longitudinally through said femoral aperture and anchored to said femur, and having its other end disposed longitudinally through said tibial aperture and anchored to said tibia.

19. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 18, wherein each said aperture is adapted to receive a drill guide.

20. A prosthetic implant as recited in claim 19, wherein said femoral component means includes a tibial axis of rotation relative to the lower end of said femur and bisecting each said condyle of said femoral component means, and wherein said femoral component means aperture is positioned along said tibial rotation axis.

21. A method of total knee joint replacement in a mammal, comprising the steps of:

a. replacing at least a portion of the lower femur with a prosthetic joint component, said femoral component including a medial and lateral condyle and further including a recess between said condyles defining an aperture extending through said femoral component;

b. replacing at least a portion of the upper tibia with a prosthetic joint component said tibial component including a surface portion for receiving the surfaces of said femoral condyles and arranged for slidably supporting said same, said tibial component further including an aperture substantially at its center;

c. engaging a drill alignment guide to said femoral component between said femoral condyles and drilling a longitudinal channel through said femoral aperture and into said femur;

d. engaging a drill alignment guide to said tibial component and extending said tibial aperture by drilling a longitudinal channel into said tibia and through said tibial aperture;

e. threading an anterior cruciate ligament substitute into said femoral channel and into said tibial channel and anchoring a first end of said ligament substitute to bone leaving a free end;

f. applying tension to said free end; and

,

g. anchoring said free end to bone under tension such that said femur and said tibia are biased together.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising the step of aligning said femoral and tibial channels.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein each said step of drilling a channel further comprises drilling each said channel through a bone exterior, and wherein each said step of anchoring said ligament ends further comprises anchoring each end to a bone exterior.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the step of attaching one end of said replacement ligament to said bone exterior of either said femur or said tibia with a self-anchoring umbrella type anchor, and attaching said other end of said replacement ligament to a bone exterior.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein said step of anchoring said first end to bone further comprises anchoring said first end to an exterior of said bone.

26. A surgical kit for total replacement of a knee, comprising:

a. a femoral component including a medial and lateral condyle for replacing a lower portion of a mammalian femur, said femoral component including a recess between said medial and lateral condyles defining an aperture through said femoral component;

b. a tibial component including a surface portion adapted to slidably engage said femoral component upon rotation of said same around said femoral a component for replacing an upper portion of a mammalian tibia, said tibial component including a center portion defining an aperture through said tibial component substantially at its center;

c. at least one drill guide component cooperatively shaped to engage said femoral aperture and said tibial aperture;

d. wherein each said aperture is adapted to receive said drill guide component for stabilizing said same;

e. an anterior cruciate ligament substitute component for tensioning a femur against a tibia; and

,

f. anchoring means for anchoring said ligament substitute to said femur and said tibia.

27. A method of consuming the components of a surgical kit during total knee replacement surgery, comprising the steps of:

a. utilizing the components in a surgical kit, said kit comprising;

i. a femoral component including a medial and lateral condyle for replacing a lower portion of a mammalian femur, said femoral component including a recess between said medial and lateral condyles defining an aperture through said femoral component;

ii. a tibial component including a surface portion adapted to slidably engage said femoral component upon rotation of said same around said femoral component for replacing an upper portion of a mammalian tibia, said tibial component including a center portion defining an aperture through said tibial component substantially at its center;

iii. at least one drill guide component cooperatively shaped to engage said femoral aperture and said tibial aperture;

iv. wherein each said aperture is adapted to receive said drill guide component for stabilizing said same;

v. an anterior cruciate ligament substitute component for biasing said femur against said tibia; and

,

vi. anchoring means for anchoring said ligament substitute to said femur and said tibia.