Surgical devices assembled using heat bondable materials

• US 5,163,960 A
• Filed: 06/28/1990
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: P TECH, LLC
• Original Assignee: Peter M. Bonutti
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/545,919
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 606/27, 606/76, 623/16, 623/66, 623/2, 623/901, 264/25, 264/248, 264/249, 264/222, 264/126
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/80 Cortical plates , i.e. bone plates; Instruments for holding or positioning cortical plates, or for compressing bones attached to cortical plates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/866 Material or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0408 Rivets other bone rivets A61B17/68; rivets for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30433, A61F2220/0041
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0619 thermoplastic, e.g. for bonding, welding, fusing or cutting the suture by melting it suture cutters A61B17/0467; ultrasonic cutters A61B17/320068; electrically heated instruments A61B18/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/867 with integral locking or clamping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30734 Modular inserts, sleeves or augments, e.g. placed on proximal part of stem for fixation purposes or wedges for bridging a bone defect
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/367 Proximal or metaphyseal parts of shafts trochanteric devices connected to said proximal parts A61F2/30739
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30065 thermoplastic, i.e. softening or fusing when heated, and hardening and becoming rigid again when cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30736 Augments or augmentation pieces, e.g. wedges or blocks for bridging a bone defect
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0071 thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/602 using hollow rivets B29C65/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73791 biodegradable
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 : Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/04 : Polymers of ethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/10 : Aromatic polyamides [polyaramides] or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/901 : Method of manufacturing prosthetic device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/923 : Bone

Abstract

Surgical devices such as implants or suture fastenings are assembled from a plurality of discrete components, one of which components includes a heat bondable material for bonding the components together. At least two components are bonded to each other by the applying heat to the heat bondable material of one component to make it bond to the other component. The heat bondable material is preferably a polymeric or composite material suitable for surgical applications and implantation in humans, and may be a biodegradable material. A laser may be used as the heat source. The present invention is advantageously embodied in heat bonded fastenings for sutures or K-wires, in which a variety of different suture anchors are usable, including expandable distal suture anchors. Other embodiments include a metal bone plate which is held to bone by a metal bone screw and a nut of bondable material bonded to the plate to secure the connection; a piece of bondable material bonded to a metal prosthesis to custom fit the prosthesis; and a surgical implant custom formed by bonding together a plurality of discrete elements one or more of which is bondable.

Claims

1. A method of permanently modifying the shape of a prosthetic implant for a person, comprising the steps of:

providing a body of biocompatible heat bondable material having a desired predetermined shape;

heating a surface portion of the body to make the surface portion tacky for adhering to the implant, without heating the body enough to substantially alter the overall shape of the body; and

then placing the tacky surface portion in abutting engagement with the implant to adhere the body to the implant.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of implanting the prosthetic implant when the body of material adhered to the implant is in a cooled state.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of implanting the joined body and implant in the person after adhering the body to the implant.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of implanting the implant in the person prior to adhering the body to the implant.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said heating step comprises the step of heating with a laser.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said material is a composite material including a non-biodegrable resin matrix having a plurality of strengthening fibers embedded therein, said resin component becoming tacky upon heating.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein said resin is a polymer.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein said polymer is polyethylene.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said material is a polymeric material.

10. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of adding an antibiotic material to the heated surface potion of the body prior to adhering the body to the implant.

11. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of adding a bone-ingrowth material to the heated surface portion of the body prior to adhering the body to the implant.

12. A method of permanently modifying the shape of a prosthetic implant for a person, comprising the steps of:

providing a body of biocompatible heat bondable material having a desired predetermined shape;

placing a surface portion of the body in abutting engagement with the implant; and

then heating at least one surface portion of the body adjacent to the implant to make the surface portion tacky to adhere the body to the implant, without heating the body enough to substantially after the overall shape of the body.

13. A method as defined in claim 12 further comprising the step of implanting the prosthetic implant when the body of material adhered to the implant is in a cooled state.

14. A method as defined in claim 12 further comprising the step of implanting the joined body and implant in the person after adhering the body to the implant.

15. A method as defined in claim 12 further comprising the step of implanting the implant in the person prior to adhering the body to the implant.

16. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein said heating step comprises the step of heating with a laser.

17. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein said material is a composite material including a non-biodegradable resin matrix having a plurality of strengthening fibers embedded therein, said resin component becoming tacky upon heating.

18. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein said resin is a polymer.

19. A method as defined in claim 18 wherein said polymer is polyethylene.

20. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein said material is a polymeric material.