A medical implant system is described for inhibiting infection associated with a joint prosthesis implant. An inventive system includes an implant body made of a biocompatible material which has a metal component disposed on an external surface of the implant body. A current is allowed to flow to the metal component, stimulating release of metal ions toxic to microbes, such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. One detailed system is completely surgically implantable in the patient such that no part of the system is external to the patient while the system is in use. In addition, externally controlled devices are provided which allow for modulation of implanted components.

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for repairing articular surfaces. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function.

An intervertebral implant for spondylolisthesis correction includes a superior side with serrations angled superiorly and toward the implant insertion direction, an inferior side with serrations angled inferiorly and opposite the implant insertion direction, and an instrument connection feature. An instrument for connection to the implant includes an implant connection feature movable between unlocked and locked states, and a friction-reducing feature movable between disengaged and engaged states. The instrument has a first state, in which the implant connection feature is in the unlocked state and the friction-reducing feature is in the disengaged state; a second state, in which the implant connection feature is in the locked state and the friction-reducing feature is in the engaged state; and a third state, in which the implant connection feature is in the locked state and the friction-reducing feature is in the disengaged state. Methods of apparatus assembly and surgery are disclosed.

A component of an artificial joint according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, inter alia, a hollow tube including bone ingrowth material. Further, the hollow tube is selectively expandable. The bone ingrowth material allows the component to become biologically fixed to adjacent bone. Further, expansion of the hollow tube increases friction between the hollow tube and the adjacent bone, which increases stability.

A spinal implant apparatus that is an expandable spacer including features to minimize or eliminate spacer cant or offset during and after completing the expansion process. The spacer includes a top component, a base component in engagement with the top component, and an expansion mechanism arranged to change the top component's position with respect to the base component. The mechanism for causing expansion may be a screw, a cam, a wedge or other form of distracting device. In one embodiment, the expandable spacer includes a base component with a set of towers and a top component with a set of corresponding silos, where the towers and silos are configured to minimize or eliminate tilt of the top component as it extends upwardly from the base component.

A humeral head implant system includes a head component including a first articulating surface, a second bottom surface extending from the first spherical articulating surface, a first cavity extending a first distance into the head component from the second bottom surface, and a second cavity extending into the head component along a cavity axis. The head component defines a head axis extending through a center of the first articulating surface parallel to the cavity axis. A base component defines a slot extending from a first width to a second width. An insert component includes an insert body, a first engagement feature, and a slot engagement feature. The first engagement feature is received in the second cavity along the cavity axis. The insert body has an insert thickness less than the first distance, and the slot engagement feature slides into the slot in a direction transverse to the cavity axis.

A cup impactor (1, 1′, 1″) is provided, adapted to assist a surgeon in controlling implantation of a cup prosthesis (9). The impactor has an impactor body (8), a drive train assembly (71), an impactor nose (38), and a clamping handle (5). The impactor body (8) has on its proximal end, an impaction plate (7) connected thereto, and an impactor handle (6) formed thereon for handling by the surgeon and, on the distal end, an impactor cup support portion (8a) having a receiver recess (8b) therein. A drive train assembly (71) has a prosthesis engaging interface (11) at a distal end thereof, and a proximal end on which a positioning knob (2) is formed. The assembly (71) received and rotatably mounted in the receiver recess (8b) of the body (8) so as to expose the prosthesis engaging surface (11). An impactor nose (38) mounts on the distal end of the impactor body (8), through which the prosthesis engaging interface (11) extends. A clamping handle (5) pulls distal portion of the drive train assembly (71) and therefore any cup prosthesis (9) attached to the engaging interface (11) against the impactor nose (38) so as not to strain the proximal end of the drive train assembly (71).

A bioabsorbable composite stent structure, comprising bioabsorbable polymeric ring structures which retain a molecular weight and mechanical strength of a starting substrate and one or more interconnecting struts which extend between and couple adjacent ring structures. The ring structures can have a formed first diameter and being radially compressible to a smaller second diameter and re-expandable to the first diameter. The ring structures can comprise a base polymeric layer. The interconnecting struts can be formed from a polymer blend or co-polymer of poly-L-lactide (PLLA) and an elastomeric polymer. The interconnecting struts each can have a width that is less than a circumference of one of the ring structures. The adjacent ring structures can be axially and rotationally movable relative to one another via the interconnecting struts. The interconnecting struts can also be bioabsorbable.

A humeral head implant system includes a head component including a first articulating surface, a second bottom surface extending from the first spherical articulating surface, a first cavity extending a first distance into the head component from the second bottom surface, and a second cavity extending into the head component along a cavity axis. The head component defines a head axis extending through a center of the first articulating surface parallel to the cavity axis. A base component defines a slot extending from a first width to a second width. An insert component includes an insert body, a first engagement feature, and a slot engagement feature. The first engagement feature is received in the second cavity along the cavity axis. The insert body has an insert thickness less than the first distance, and the slot engagement feature slides into the slot in a direction transverse to the cavity axis.

The current invention is directed to a medical implant made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys and methods of making such medical implants, wherein the medical implants are biologically, mechanically, and morphologically compatible with the surrounding implanted region of the body.