A lubrication device for lubricating a joint of a human or mammal patient, which is entirely implantable in a patient's body, comprises a reservoir for storing a lubricating fluid and a fluid connection for introducing the lubricating fluid into the joint when the device is implanted in the patient's body. Further, the fluid connection comprises a fluid connection device connecting the reservoir with the joint such that a lubricating fluid flow is established from the reservoir into the joint. The fluid connection comprises either an infusion needle adapted to be intermittently placed into the joint for injecting the lubricating fluid, or a tube adapted to be permanently placed into the joint for continuously injecting the lubricating fluid.

A hinge knee system includes a tibial assembly having a baseplate component and an axle component. The baseplate component has an opening that extends therein from a proximal end toward a distal end thereof. The axle component has a shaft portion receivable within the opening of the baseplate component and an axle connected to the shaft portion that extends in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shaft portion. The system also includes a femoral assembly that includes a distal femoral component. The distal femoral component includes condylar portions and an intercondylar portion disposed between the condylar portions. The intercondylar portion includes a bearing surface that defines a recess configured to rotatably receive the axle for articulation therewith.

Described is an acetabular assembly comprising: an acetabular cup component (100) having an outer convex surface (104), an inner concave surface (106) defining a cup cavity, and a plurality of openings (116) that extend between the inner concave surface and the outer convex surface and that are configured to accommodate a fastener for attaching the acetabular cup component to an acetabulum of a patient; an insert bearing liner (200) defined by an inner concave surface (202) and an outer convex surface (206), and configured to be located at least partially within die cup cavity of the acetabular cup component; and a plurality of spacers (300) that are configured to be inserted into the plurality of openings in the acetabular cup component from the inner concave surface.

The invention relates to a connecting sleeve for anchoring shafts of two oppositely arranged prostheses, preferably on an elongate bone such as a femur or humerus. The reinforcing sleeve comprises two receiving bushes (1, 2) for one prosthesis shaft each and comprises a separable coupling region (3) arranged therebetween for connection in such a manner as to resist shear forces and rotation. According to the invention, each receiving bush (1, 2) has, on the side thereof facing the coupling region, one fork (31, 32) of a pair of forks that interact with each other, and a fitting block (4) is arranged on a base of the fork, the lateral surfaces (44) of which fitting block have a distance that corresponds to an inner width of the fork, and the lateral surfaces (44) are designed to contact flanks of the fork in a planar manner, at least one fastening screw (5) being arranged transversely through the fork. The fork connection is simpler to produce than the known wedge connection and yet is sufficiently robust. Unlike in the case of the wedge connection, an exact fit is not required; a clearance fit between the fork (31, 32) and the fitting block (4) is sufficient in principle, excessive play being eliminated by means of the fastening screw (5).

A spinal distractor and stabilizer has resilient, conformable bone contacting sections which are separated by an expandable chamber that extends from one of the sections, and which forms a ratchet with the section, ensuring that once expanded by being filled with a substance, cannot contract absent intervention by a medical practitioner. The stabilizer may be filled with a material which solidifies, after which some or all of the device may biodegrade. The device may also be provided in separable portions to facilitate implantation. The conformable sections distribute the distraction and stabilizing force evenly over the bone surface, reducing the incidence of disruption to the integrity of the bone.

The present invention relates to a method of treating a hip joint of a human patient, the hip joint comprising an acetabulum, the acetabulum being a part of the pelvic bone, and a caput femur, the caput femur being the proximal part of the femoral bone, said method comprising the steps of: cutting the skin of the human patient, dissecting an area of the pelvic bone on the opposite side from the acetabulum, creating a hole in said dissected area, said hole passing through the pelvic bone and into the hip joint of the human patient, and performing an action in the hip joint, through said hole in the pelvic bone.

Embodiments may include an attachable fastener, which may include a bondable material that may be secured to the end of an end effector. Vibration may be tuned to occur at a distal end of the fastener. Accordingly, the fastener may be used to generate heat at a distal point of contact. If the contact surface contains bondable material, that material may be softened. If the fastener includes bondable material at the point of contact, that material may also be softened by heat produced by vibration at the contact area. A hard implant or another polymeric material may function as the anvil.

Implantable orthopedic pain management devices are disclosed, including a body with a top surface having a radius of curvature, and a bottom surface with another radius of curvature, configured to be surgically implanted in a joint and to prevent contact between one or more bones in the joint, the body not being coupled to the one or more bones, and a peripheral protrusion disposed substantially about a perimeter of the body and having a substantially outward facing vertical surface, the peripheral protrusion being configured to prevent expulsion of the body from the joint.

An implant couples a first bone of a hand to a second bone of the hand. The implant includes a body that defines a median plane. The body also defines a first joint surface having a first central region that articulates with the first bone. The body further defines a second joint surface having a second central region that articulates with the second bone, and the second central region is disposed on an opposite side of the median plane of the body relative to the first central region. The first and second central regions correspond to profiles of first and second axial segments, respectively, the first and second axial segments are each one of a cylinder, a cone and a torus and are centered on first and second axes, respectively, and the first and second axes, as projected on the median plane, are substantially perpendicular to each other.

An implantable device includes at least one solid structure having an external surface and a volume beneath the surface. One or more of a first conductor or set of conductors is disposed externally and/or internally on or within the structure and an array of elongate electrically conductive elements are disposed radially outwardly within the volume. A breach is detected when a conductive fluid intrudes into the volume through the surface.