The present disclosure provides a method of positioning a medical device in a patient. The method includes coating a balloon with a substance, wherein the coating substance comprises at least one layer comprised at least partially of a medicinal agent and a polymer, inserting the deflated balloon into a cardiac system of the patient, placing the balloon in the proper location in the cardiac system of the patient, and inflating the balloon by injecting a sterile liquid from a syringe into the balloon. The method also includes positioning the substance proximate the tissue of the cardiac system of the patient, wherein the cardiovascular drug medicinal agent comprising the substance is drug eluting.

The invention provides a mounting system for instruments for use in medulloscopy. The mounting system includes a positioning system adapted for being mechanically attached to a bone, and at least one instrument holder attached to the positioning system, the instrument holder being adapted for holding one or more instruments for being used during bone surgery in a medullary canal. Due to the positioning system which may be mechanically attached to the bone, and due to the instrument holder for holding instruments which is attached to the positioning system, a surgeon has both hands available for operating on the patient.

A method for driving an ultrasonic device for bone cement removal and/or osteotomy operations includes the steps of establishing at least a data connection between a control unit and a handset of the ultrasonic device, sending a signal to the handset, receiving from the handset a response to the sent signal, and checking an operating condition of the ultrasonic device based on said response.

A fractured hollow bone can be supported by forming a rigid plastics implant within a cavity of the bone, extending across the fracture. An access port aids removal or revision of the implant. The port comprises a hollow cylinder, with a distal end inserted through an aperture in an end of the bone into the cavity to surround a proximal end of the implant. The access port is connectable to a source of torsional-mode ultrasonic vibrations, which soften the plastics material of the implant, improving engagement between the implant and a threaded formation within the distal end of the access port. Removal of the source allows the access port to act as a guide passage, in line with the elongate implant. A cutting tool introduced through the access port is thus guided so that it can be used to hollow out the implant. Once sufficiently hollowed-out, the implant collapses within its surrounding balloon. The engagement of the access port with the proximal end of the implant allows the implant and balloon to be drawn out of the cavity. A particularly suitable cutting tool has a roughly cylindrical operative head comprising four equally-spaced fins separated by four part-circular grooves. The fins and grooves extend helically of the operative head. The distal end is concave. When activated by torsional-mode ultrasonic vibrations, the distal tips of the fins produce an effective longitudinal cutting action. Debris and softened plastics material flow proximally along the grooves away from the distal end where most cutting occurs.

A torsional-mode ultrasonic vibration generator is manufactured with longitudinal slots extending along its horn which damp unwanted vibrational modes and allow it to be made significantly smaller than previous apparatus. The torsional-mode ultrasonic generator is operable with a suite of surgical tools, to perform portions of an orthopaedic arthroplasty revision procedure. Three of the tools are for removing bone cement from within a bone cavity on a prosthesis cemented into the bone cavity. Three other tools are for separating an uncemented prosthesis from ingrown bone by cutting the bone between the prosthesis and walls of the bone cavity. The seventh tool is provided with sensors to determine a separation between a bone-cutting tool head and a metal prosthesis, feedback from the sensors being used to control servo motors of an articulated mounting for the seventh tool, to maintain the separation at a desirable value.

Modular extractor device for removing bone cement from a bone cavity (C), including an elongated body with an axis of symmetry (X-X), a proximal end, arranged during use at the opening of the bone cavity (C), and a distal end, arranged during use at the innermost part of the bone cavity (C). The elongated body is partially hollow and is adapted to be inserted in said bone cavity (C) filled with bone cement. The elongated body includes a plurality of rigid elements coaxial to the axis (X-X) of said elongated body, partially hollow and anchored together. At least two adjacent rigid elements include a first main section, a second main section and a flange. A main section of at least one rigid element is inserted and held in position in a main section of the other rigid element of the at least two rigid elements.

A method for providing a tool system for removing prosthetic cement from a bone of a patient undergoing a joint prosthesis replacement operation includes scanning the patient in the area of the joint prosthesis to obtain a profile of a line of intersection of a prosthetic cement/bone interface at its intersection with a longitudinally pre-selected plane; providing a guide member shaped as a stem of the prosthesis in a prosthetic cavity located in said prosthetic cement; and providing a cutting tool for forming a running cut through the prosthetic cement along the line of intersection. A stem of the cutting tool includes two protrusions along the length thereof. A guide member includes two grooves which each engage one of said protrusions. Grooves are profiled so the outer end of the stem is forced to follow a path corresponding to the profile of the line of intersection of the cement/bone interface.

A series of surgical tools (11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81) have respective operative heads (16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86 & 96) mounted adjacent a distal end of an elongate waveguide (12, 13, 14). The operative heads (16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86 & 96) are used to remove PMMA bone cement (2, 5) from within a hollow bone (1), such as a femur (1), as part of a prosthesis revision operation, such as replacement of an artificial hip joint. Torsional-mode ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted along the waveguide (12, 13, 14) to the respective operative heads (16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86 & 96), which are applied to the bone cement (2, 5), softening it and facilitating its removal. Elongate radial channels (18, 23, 28, 38) extend across cement-contacting faces of several of the surgical tools (11, 21, 31, 41, 71, 81), acting to focus and transmit the torsional-mode ultrasonic vibrations into adjacent cement (2, 5). In another tool (51), scalloped recesses (58, 59) in its cement-contact face have substantially the same effect, while in a further tool (61), a series of notches (65) along a distal edge (69) of the tool (61) have an analogous function. The operative heads (76, 86, 96) of certain tools (71, 81) can be embedded into a cement plug (5) then used to pull the plug (5) as a unit out of the bone (1).

Pedicle bone anchor implants, assemblies, and methods thereof. The implant may include an expandable anchor having a body with expandable sections separated by one or more expansion joints, a plurality of expandable teeth, or an expandable head. The expandable anchor has a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, thereby creating a press-fit in adjacent bone.

Pedicle bone anchor implants, assemblies, and methods thereof. The implant may include an expandable anchor having a body with expandable sections separated by one or more expansion joints, a plurality of expandable teeth, or an expandable head. The expandable anchor has a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, thereby creating a press-fit in adjacent bone.