A ceramic monobloc femoral component (10) is provided for a total hip replacement prosthesis. The ceramic monobloc femoral component (10) has a ceramic femoral stem (14) and a ceramic head (12) which defines a part-spherical articular surface receivable by an acetabular cup (56). The ceramic femoral stem (14) and the ceramic head (12) are integrally formed as one-piece.

To provide a sliding member having improved wear resistance, and a method of manufacturing the sliding member. A femoral head ball according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a composite ceramic containing alumina and at least one oxide other than alumina. A surface roughness Ra of the sliding surface when the femoral head ball slides against a constituent member constituting an artificial joint is not more than 0.01 μm. The sliding surface includes a plurality of recessed portions each having an opening diameter of not more than 2 μm.

An interbody fusion cage having upper and lower canals for receiving the heads of bone screws that have been pre-installed in opposing vertebral body endplates. The proximal wall of the cage preferably has a vertical slot that communicates with each canal and is adapted to allow access by a screwdriver and tightening of the screws.

An interbody fusion cage having upper and lower canals for receiving the heads of bone screws that have been pre-installed in opposing vertebral body endplates. The proximal wall of the cage preferably has a vertical slot that communicates with each canal and is adapted to allow access by a screwdriver and tightening of the screws.

A fusion cage has a first component that defines an outside surface that is configured to engage a vertebral endplate, and an interior surface. The fusion cage has a second component that defines first and second opposed surfaces. One of the first and second opposed surfaces can mate with the interior surface of the first component. The fusion cage can include vertical and lateral throughholes adapted to enhance fusion.

A fusion cage has a first component that defines an outside surface that is configured to engage a vertebral endplate, and an interior surface. The fusion cage has a second component that defines first and second opposed surfaces. One of the first and second opposed surfaces can mate with the interior surface of the first component. The fusion cage can include vertical and lateral throughholes adapted to enhance fusion.

The invention relates to components for fusing vertebral bodies and to methods for the production and use thereof.

A method of pressure forming a brown part from metal and/or ceramic particle feedstocks includes: introducing into a mold cavity or extruder a first feedstock and one or more additional feedstocks or a green or brown state insert made from a feedstock, wherein the different feedstocks correspond to the different portions of the part; pressurizing the mold cavity or extruder to produce a preform having a plurality of portions corresponding to the first and one or more additional feedstocks, and debinding the preform. Micro voids and interstitial paths from the interior of the preform part to the exterior allow the escape of decomposing or subliming backbone component substantially without creating macro voids due to internal pressure. The large brown preform may then be sintered and subsequently thermomechanically processed to produce a net wrought microstructure and properties that are substantially free the interstitial spaces.

The invention relates to an acetabular cup (4) and a cup insert (3) for a hip joint prosthesis (12), wherein the cup insert (3) is coupled to the acetabular cup by means of a clamping cone (5) of a conical clamping device in the equatorial region (7) of the two components (3, 4) and, in the unloaded state of the cup insert (3), a gap (8) is provided between the two components (3, 4) below the clamping cone (5) to the pole (6), said gap being delimited by the radial contours of the two components (3, 4). In order to reduce the tensile stresses in the cup insert, the radial contours of the two components (3, 4) have identical geometric elements in the same order, starling front the lower cone end (9) to the pole (6), and tangential or substantially tangential transitions exist between the geometric elements.

A ceramic composite material and a method for producing same. The ceramic composite material has a ceramic matrix comprising zirconium oxide and at least one secondary phase dispersed therein. The matrix is composed of zirconium oxide as at least 51 vol.-% of composite material, and the secondary phase is in a proportion of 1 to 49 vol.-% of composite material, wherein 90 to 99% of the zirconium oxide is present in the tetragonal phase based on the total zirconium oxide portion. The tetragonal phase of the zirconium oxide is stabilized by at least one member selected from the group consisting of chemical stabilization and mechanical stabilization. The ceramic composite is damage-tolerant.