A method of implanting a joint prosthesis assembly for joint arthroplasty using a coupling mechanism is disclosed. The method includes exposing a joint of a patient, resecting a portion of the joint, inserting a second prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly into a medullary canal, and inserting a first prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly from a lateral side of the joint. The joint prosthesis assembly includes a magnet. The magnet is configured to lock the first prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly to the second prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly. The first prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly includes a recess. The second prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly includes a protrusion. The recess is configured to house the protrusion. Alternatively, the first prosthesis and the second prosthesis may he assembled in a direct line using the magnet for secure coupling of the components.

An electronically assisted artificial vertebral disc having an upper disc plate and a lower disc plate is disclosed. An actuator imparts movement to at least one of the upper and lower disc plates. A control device controls the actuator and the amount of movement between the disc plates. The actuator includes a plurality of either linear actuators or rotary actuators that are driven by electric motors in response to the control device. The control device includes at least a first sensor for detecting the position of the actuator and at least a second sensor for detecting the spatial orientation of at least one of the upper and lower disc plates. The control device also preferably includes a microprocessor that calculates the desired positions of the upper and lower disc plates and provides a control signal to the actuator to drive the upper and lower disc plates to their desired positions.

A prosthetic disc can take the form of a sensing artificial disc that includes a resilient core and at least one sensor configured to sense one or more conditions within and/or experienced by the disc. The sensing artificial disc can serve as a replacement to a failed or injured disc between two vertebrae of a spine. The sensing artificial disc can include at least one element configured to change a condition or property of the resilient core in response to a condition sensed by the at least one sensor. A prosthetic disc can include therapeutic system configured to deliver medication to the body, which can include a reservoir of medication.

A force-limiting and damping device has a body, a tapping element, a shock-absorbing element, and a limiting module. The body has a connecting segment and a holding segment. The tapping element is connected to the body to move relative to the connecting segment and has a mounting segment, a tapping segment, and a fixing segment. The mounting segment is movably connected to the connecting segment. The tapping segment is disposed on an end of the mounting segment below the connecting segment. The fixing segment is connected to the mounting segment and abuts the connecting segment. The shock-absorbing element is mounted on the mounting segment and abuts the connecting segment and the tapping segment. The limiting module is mounted between the body and the tapping element and has a force-limiting element mounted between the mounting segment and the connecting segment to provide a force-limiting reminder effect and a damping effect.

A medical device for implantation in a hip joint of a patient is provided. The medical device comprises a prosthetic caput femur having least partially spherical portion and a releasing member. The releasing member is adapted to, in a first state, restrain the at least partially spherical portion in an acetabulum or a prosthetic acetabulum and, in a second state, to release the at least partially spherical portion from the acetabulum or the prosthetic acetabulum. The releasing member is further adapted to change from the first state to the second state and from the second state to the first state when a strain, exceeding a predetermined threshold, is exerted on the hip joint.

The invention relates to a prosthesis for implantation into a living body in the form of a magnetic artificial joint, in particular an artificial shoulder joint, comprising: a) a first prosthesis member comprising a socket member, b) a second prosthesis member comprising a head member, c) one of the socket member and the head member is at least partially composed as a permanent magnet and the other one of the socket member and the head member is at least partially composed of a magnetic material, or the socket member and the head member are both at least partially composed as a permanent magnet, d) the socket member comprises a recess on a surface side to be coupled with the head member, the recess comprising a concavely contoured contact surface, e) the head member comprises a projection on a surface side to be coupled with the socket member, the projection comprising a convexly contoured contact surface, f) the convexly contoured contact surface is adapted to the concavely contoured contact surface, such that the head member can be coupled in a rotatably jointed manner to the socket member in the nature of a ball/ball-socket joint, g) wherein the convexly contoured contact surface can perform a generally slip-fee rolling motion or a combined slipping and rolling motion on the concavely contoured contact surface in reaction to a change of an angle between the first and the second prosthesis member, and the convexly contoured contact surface can be shifted across the concavely contoured contact surface within a shifting area.

A method of implanting a joint prosthesis assembly for joint arthroplasty using a coupling mechanism is disclosed. The method includes exposing a joint of a patient, resecting a portion of the joint, inserting a second prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly into a medullary canal, and inserting a first prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly from a lateral side of the joint. The joint prosthesis assembly includes a magnet. The magnet is configured to lock the first prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly to the second prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly. The first prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly includes a recess. The second prosthesis of the joint prosthesis assembly includes a protrusion. The recess is configured to house the protrusion. Alternatively, the first prosthesis and the second prosthesis may be assembled in a direct line using the magnet for secure coupling of the components.

Embodiments of a system and method for assessing hip arthroplasty component movement are generally described herein. A method may include receiving data from a sensor embedded in a femoral head component, the femoral head component configured to fit in an acetabular component, determining information about a magnetic field from the data, and outputting an indication of an orientation, coverage, or a force of the femoral head component relative to the acetabular component.

In one aspect, a system and method for aligning hip replacement prostheses comprises an acetabular liner having an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface. The acetabular liner includes at least two magnetic sensors arranged in a spatially distributed manner. The system and method also include a prosthetic femoral component comprising a femoral head component. The femoral head component and the acetabular liner component are shaped such that a ball and socket joint is formed when the femoral head component comes into contact with the inner concave surface of the acetabular liner. While the ball-and-socket joint is formed, and in at least some orientations of the femoral head component relative to the acetabular liner component, a contact point on an external surface of the femoral head component contacts the inner concave surface. The femoral head component includes at least one permanent magnet.

A multi-layer substrate apparatus includes a first layer configured to provide at least one electrical-based property. A second layer proximate to the first layer is configured to provide at least one mechanical-based property. A third proximate to the second layer includes at least one chemical component such that the third layer is enabled to regulate the multi-layer substrate apparatus based on a system that the multi-layer substrate apparatus is being used with. A fourth layer proximate to the third layer is configured to provide at least one magnetic-based property. A fifth layer proximate to the fourth layer is configured to provide support based on the system that the multi-layer substrate apparatus is being used with. The fifth layer includes a geometric portion that is configured to facilitate at least one process therein.