The subject invention pertains to a device and methods for inducing tensile strain on a hydrogel and/or hydrogel-encapsulated cells and/or tissues. The device includes a hydrogel-based mold for cell culture and a magnet-combined rail slider for cyclic tensile stretch. The resulting hydrogel-based device provides controllable tensile strain to cells and/tissues, from which cells and/or tissues can be encapsulated in hydrogels and strain can be applied cyclically.

A cushion is disclosed for insertion in a patient's knee joint to serve as a buffer between a patient's femur and tibia. The cushion is filled with a substantially incompressible fluid, which can be a foam or a gel or a liquid, like water, which is capable of supporting the entire weight of the patient's body. The cushion is preferably made from a flexible material that allows relative movement between the patient's femur and tibia, while resisting rupture as it supports these two bones as they are moving relative to one another as the knee joint is flexed, bent or extended.

A prosthetic device for use as an artificial meniscus is disclosed. The prosthetic device restores stress distribution, stability, and function to the knee joint after removal of the damaged natural meniscus. In some embodiments, the prosthetic device includes an anti-migration feature that inhibits extreme movement within the joint while permitting free floating over a significant range. In one aspect, the anti-migration feature is an enlarged anterior structure or a posterior meniscus remnant engaging channel while in another aspect, the anti-migration feature includes a tethering member. Still further, removable radiopaque features are provided to enhance trialing of the implant prior to final implantation within the joint.

An implant system includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion includes a hydrogel; the second portion includes a porous material and the hydrogel in pores of the porous material; and the third portion includes the porous material. The first portion is free of the porous material and the third portion is free of the hydrogel. The third portion has non-uniform lateral cross-section.

An artificial knee joint comprises a femoral condyle prosthesis and a tibial plateau prosthesis; wherein the tibial plateau prosthesis includes a medial tibial plateau prosthesis and a lateral tibial plateau prosthesis disposed at both sides of the tibial plateau intercondylar eminence, respectively. The artificial knee joint further comprises a locating pin for fixing the tibial plateau prosthesis. The bottom surface of the tibial plateau prosthesis is provided with a prosthetic notch, and the tibia below the tibial plateau prosthesis is provided with a tibial notch. The prosthetic notch corresponds to the tibial notch, together forming a limiting hole for accommodating the locating pin. The cooperation between the locating pin and the limiting hole can ensure relative position stability and balance between the medial tibial plateau prosthesis and the lateral tibial plateau prosthesis.

The present disclosure pertains to ionic polymer compositions, including semi- and fully interpenetrating polymer networks, methods of making such ionic polymer compositions, articles made from such ionic polymer compositions, and methods of making such articles and packaging for such articles.

A method for fabricating a resorbable scaffold for regeneration of meniscal tissue is disclosed. The method includes fabricating a polymer filament network using 3D printing in accordance with a digital model of the polymer filament network, such that the polymer filament network will include a first plurality of layers comprising the circumferentially-oriented filaments alternating with a second plurality of layers comprising the radially-oriented filaments, the polymer filament network having a three-dimensional shape and geometry between a first layer and a second layer which is substantially the same as a three-dimensional shape and geometry of the resorbable scaffold.

Embodiments of an artificial meniscus implant are disclosed herein. An artificial meniscus includes at least one circumferential fiber and at least one non-circumferential fiber embedded within an arc-shaped body. The non-circumferential fibers may form loops extending through a peripheral edge of the implant, and the circumferential fibers may extend out of anterior and posterior horns of the implant to terminate in ends that are configured for fixation to bone. The ends may be interconnected, and covered by horn extensions to protect the ends from wear at the bone interface. Methods of making and implanting artificial meniscus are also disclosed herein. The method of making includes stepwise molding, layering, and curing of polymer material around the circumferential fibers and sewing the non-circumferential fibers into the polymer material. Methods of implanting may include threading ends of circumferential fibers through first and second bone tunnels.

The disclosure provides a meniscus substitute and a knee joint prosthesis with the meniscus substitute. The meniscus substitute includes; a base body, disposed on a tibial plateau or a tibial plateau prosthesis of a tibia; a polymer joint body, disposed on the base body; and a bone screw, disposed in the tibia in a penetration manner and connected with the base body.

An implant that couples a first bone and a second bone includes a body that defines a first joint surface, a second joint surface, and a median plane. The first joint surface includes a first central region that articulates with the first bone. The second joint surface includes 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. The first joint surface further defines a first peripheral region adjacent the first central region and the first axial segment has a first cross section that has a smaller curvature in the first central region of the first joint surface than in the first peripheral region of the first joint surface.