FLEXIBLY COMPLIANT CERAMIC PROSTHETIC MENISCUS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED CARTILAGE IN ORTHOPEDIC SURGICAL REPAIR OR RECONSTRUCTION OF HIP, KNEE, ANKLE, SHOULDER, ELBOW. WRIST AND OTHERANATOMICAL JOINTS

• US 20100168857A1
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwin Burton Hatch
• Original Assignee: Edwin Burton Hatch
• Inventors: Hatch, Edwin Burton
• Granted Patent: US 8,114,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/14.120
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30965 Reinforcing the prosthesis by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/389 Tibial components A61F2/3868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/40 for shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/42 for wrists or ankles; for hands, e.g. fingers; for feet, e.g. toes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30044 differing in melting temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30451 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30461 sutured, ligatured or stitched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30581 having a pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30733 Inserts placed into an endoprosthetic cavity, e.g. for modifying a material property
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30878 with non-sharp protrusions, for instance contacting the bone for anchoring, e.g. keels, pegs, pins, posts, shanks, stems, struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30909 Nets
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30934 Special articulating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4495 having a fabric structure, e.g. made from wires or fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0046 differing in melting temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00179 Ceramics or ceramic-like structures

Abstract

A Flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus for the replacement of damaged cartilage in the orthopedic surgical repair or reconstruction of hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and other anatomical joints.

Claims

1. A flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus for the repair or replacement of damaged cartilage in the orthopedic surgical repair or reconstruction of hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and other anatomical joints;

which said meniscus is comprised of ceramic fibers formed together into a rope-like construction from which a portion of the said rope-like construction is cut and coiled into a pad, with the cut ends preferably being placed into the interior of the said pad; and

which said pad is fixed together so as to create an integral, dimensionally stable, and flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 where in the said pad is fixed together by being over-sewn with zigzag stitches and with multiple vertical and horizontal rows of stitches, using a high melting temperature ceramic thread, to join the adjacent coils of the said pad and over-sewn so as to create an integral, dimensionally stable, and flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 where in the said pad is fixed together by being thermally fused so as to create an integral, dimensionally stable, and flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 where in the said meniscus is wetted with a liquid ceramic material, which said liquid ceramic material has a lower melting temperature than that of the said ceramic fibers, before being thermally fused.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 where in the said meniscus is comprised of ceramic fibers having two different melting temperatures.

6. A flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus for the repair or replacement of damaged cartilage in the orthopedic surgical repair or reconstruction of hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and other anatomical joints, where in the said meniscus is comprised of ceramic fibers fixed together into a non-woven felt-like pad so as to create an integral, dimensionally stable, and flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 where in the said non-woven felt-like pad is fixed together by being thermally fused.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7 where in the said non-woven felt-like pad is wetted with a liquid ceramic material, which said liquid ceramic material has a lower melting temperature than that of the said ceramic fibers, before being thermally fused.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 7 where in the said meniscus is comprised of ceramic fibers having two different melting temperatures.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 6 where in the said meniscus comprised of ceramic fibers further incorporates polyethylene fibers, which said polyethylene is selected from a group of polyethylene plastics, which said group includes linear low density polyethylene, medium low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, high molecular weight polyethylene, and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, which said fibers are fixed together into a non-woven felt-like pad so as to create an integral, dimensionally stable, and flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by being thermally fused.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 10 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by compression molding.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 10 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by injection molding.

14. The combination as set forth in claim 10 where in the said meniscus comprised of ceramic fibers and polyethylene fibers further incorporates ceramic beads.

15. The combination as set forth in claim 14 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by being thermally fused.

16. The combination as set forth in claim 14 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by compression molding.

17. The combination as set forth in claim 14 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by injection molding.

31. A multiple dependent claim of claim 3, or of claim 4, or of claim 5, or of claim 6, or of claim 8, or of claim 9, or of claim 10, or of claim 12, or of claim 13, or of claim 14, or of claim 16, or of claim 17, or of claim 18, or of claim 21, or of claim 22, or of claim 24, or of claim 25, or of claim 27, or of claim 28, or of claim 30, or of claim 31, which said claim further incorporates a metal perimeter wire to further restrict and control the lateral expansion of the flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

32. A multiple dependent claim of claim 4, or of claim 5, or of claim 6, or of claim 8, or of claim 9, or of claim 10, or of claim 12, or of claim 13, or of claim 14, or of claim 16, or of claim 17, or of claim 18, or of claim 21, or of claim 22, or of claim 24, or of claim 25, or of claim 27, or of claim 28, or of claim 30, or of claim 31, which said claim further incorporates voids to increase the compliant flexibility of the flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

18. A flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus for the repair or replacement of damaged cartilage in the orthopedic surgical repair or reconstruction of hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and other anatomical joints, where in the said meniscus is comprised of ceramic beads fixed together in a matrix of polyethylene, which said polyethylene is selected from a group of polyethylene compounds which includes linear low density polyethylene, medium low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, high molecular weight polyethylene, and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, so as to create an integral, dimensionally stable, and flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

19. The combination as set forth in claim 18 where in the said meniscus comprised of ceramic beads is fixed together in a matrix of solid polyethylene.

20. The combination as set forth in claim 19 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by compression molding.

21. The combination as set forth in claim 19 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by injection molding.

22. The combination as set forth in claim 19 where in the said meniscus comprised of ceramic beads further incorporates ceramic fibers.

23. The combination as set forth in claim 22 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by compression molding.

24. The combination as set forth in claim 22 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by injection molding.

25. The combination as set forth in claim 18 where in the said meniscus comprised of ceramic beads is fixed together in a matrix of structural foam polyethylene.

26. The combination as set forth in claim 25 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by compression molding.

27. The combination as set forth in claim 25 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by injection molding.

28. The combination as set forth in claim 25 where in the said meniscus comprised of ceramic beads and ceramic fibers further incorporates ceramic fibers.

29. The combination as set forth in claim 28 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by compression molding.

30. The combination as set forth in claim 28 where in the said meniscus is fixed together by injection molding.

33. The attachment of a flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus to a bone end in the orthopedic surgical repair or reconstruction of hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, or other anatomical joints.

34. Claim 33 where in the attachment of a flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus to a bone end is accomplished by thermally bonding the said flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic onto a metal prosthesis by means of a liquid ceramic material, after which said metal prosthesis is bonded to the said bone end by the use of bone glue.

35. Claim 33 where in the attachment of a flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus to a bone end is accomplished by bonding the said flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic onto a metal prosthesis with an epoxy after which said metal prosthesis is bonded to the said bone end by the use of bone glue.

36. Claim 33 where in the attachment of a flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus to a bone end is accomplished by attaching the said flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic onto a metal prosthesis by the use of rivets after which said metal prosthesis is bonded to the said bone end by the use of bone glue.

37. Claim 33 where in the attachment of a flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus to a bone end is accomplished by sewing the said flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus to the tissues adjacent to the bone end.

38. Claim 33 where in the attachment of a flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus to a bone end is accomplished by surgically placing the said flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus into the anatomical joint and allowing the remaining cartilage tissue to grow onto the said flexibly compliant ceramic prosthetic meniscus.

Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the invention herein taught and because modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting.