Abstract: A method is provided for depositing a hard wear resistant surface onto a porous or non-porous base material of a medical implant. The wear resistant surface of the medical implant device may be formed by a Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) method such as Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS). The wear resistant surface may include a blend of multiple different biocompatible materials. Further, functionally graded layers of biocompatible materials may be used to form the wear resistant surface. Usage of a porous material for the base may promote bone ingrowth to allow the implant to fuse strongly with the bone of a host patient. The hard wear resistant surface provides device longevity, particularly when applied to bearing surfaces such as artificial joint bearing surfaces or a dental implant bearing surfaces.

Abstract: A system for restoring articular cartilage has a cover, an anchor, and a tether that cooperate to retain graft tissue with respect to a graft site. The cover is attached to the anchor via the tether. The tether passes through a tunnel through a bone to which the articular cartilage is attached. The tunnel may be blind or may extend through the bone. The anchor is retained within the tunnel such that tension in the tether keeps the cover in place over the tissue graft. The anchor may receive the tether such that the tether can only pass through the anchor along one direction. Thus, tension applied to the tether between the anchor and the tissue graft is automatically maintained by the anchor. After passing through the anchor, the tether may exit the tunnel through the graft site, or through the opposite side of the bone.

Abstract: A suture anchor includes a placement portion frangably connected to an attachment portion. The attachment portion includes an outwardly projecting barb. During insertion of the suture anchor within a bore hole formed on a bone, the barb scores at least a portion of the bone bounding the bore hole. Once the suture anchor is disposed within the bore hole, a withdrawal force is applied to the suture anchor such that the attachment portion thereof rotates within the bore hole and disconnects from the placement portion. In an alternative embodiment, the suture anchor can be formed without the outwardly projecting barb.

Abstract: A method of depositing a hard wear resistant surface onto a porous or non-porous base material of a medical implant. The medical implant device formed by a Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) method. The porous material of the base promotes bone ingrowth allowing the implant to fuse strongly with the bone of a host patient. The hard wear resistant surface provides device longevity when applied to bearing surfaces such as artificial joint bearing surface or a dental implant bearing surface.

Abstract: A revisable intervertebral implant may include two end plates designed to detachably receive a variety of intermediate components including articulating bearing inserts, elastic inserts, and fusion blocks. Each intermediate component may be secured to a snap insert that snaps into engagement with the corresponding end plate in response to pressure urging the intermediate component toward the end plate along a cephalad-caudal direction. The end plates may first be secured to the corresponding vertebral bodies, and then the intermediate component(s) may be snapped into locking engagement with the implanted end plates to complete in-situ assembly of the intervertebral implant. The implant may easily be revised by snapping the intermediate component(s) out of engagement with the end plates, removing the intermediate component(s), inserting the new intermediate component(s) into the space between the end plates, and snapping the new intermediate component(s) into engagement with the end plates.

Abstract: A prosthesis for the replacement of a diseased or traumatized facet of a mammalian vertebra includes a surface that articulates with another prosthetic facet or a natural facet, a portion that replaces at least a bony portion of the diseased or traumatized spine facet which is to be replaced, and an element to attach the prosthesis to the vertebra in a manner that does not require attachment to or abutment against the posterior arch. A method of installing the prosthesis includes the steps of resecting at least a portion of a facet and attaching the prosthesis in a manner that does not require attachment or abutment against the posterior arch.

Abstract: A prosthesis for the replacement of multiple diseased or traumatized spinal facets comprises a portion that replaces at least a bony portion of the facets to be replaced and where the prosthesis attaches to the vertebra in a manner that does not require attachment to, or abutment against, the lamina. Multiple configurations of the prosthesis provide for replacement of the two inferior facets, the two superior facets, a superior and inferior facet, or all four facets. A method of installing the prosthesis is provided that is comprised of the steps of resecting at least a portion of the facets that carry the diseased or traumatized spinal facets and attaching the prosthesis in a manner that does not require attachment or abutment against the lamina.

Abstract: A system for open or arthroscopic surgical repair of torn or damaged meniscal tissue has a repair member and an instrument. The repair member is a suture, flexible or rigid implant. The instrument has at a portion that is shaped to slide within a meniscal capsular tunnel. The meniscal capsular tunnel is an opening in the knee soft tissue passing from the anterior side of the knee adjacent to the mensical tissue to the posterior side of the knee in both the medial and lateral directions. The instrument interacts with the repair member to either insert it into the meniscus from the posterior side, or to facilitate securing of the repair member so that the repair member holds the meniscal tissue together on either side of a meniscal tear to foster healing of the damaged tissue.

Abstract: Superior and/or inferior facets of one or more facet joints may be replaced by superior and/or inferior facet joint prostheses. In one embodiment, a kit of superior or inferior prostheses is provided, in which the prostheses have at least two dimensions that vary among members of the kit independently of each other. Each prosthesis may have a bone engaging surface having a surface that is polyaxially rotatable against a corresponding resection of a vertebra. Each prosthesis may also have an articulating surface shaped such that, after attachment to the spine, the replaced or partially replaced facet joints provide a larger medial-lateral range of motion when the spine is flexed than when the spine is extended. Crosslinks may be used to connect left and right prosthesis together in such a manner that they are stabilized in a position in which they are seated directly against the vertebra.

Abstract: A measurement tool is designed to measure the relative displacements between two bony landmarks of a spine, such as pedicles and facet surfaces. The measurement tool may have a registration interface designed to be registered to a first bony landmark, and a contact feature shaped to contact a second bony landmark. The registration interface may be registered to a frame rigidly coupled relative to the first bony landmark. The measurement tool also has a displacement structure that permits motion of the contact feature relative to the registration interface along multiple dimensions. The displacement structure may have two or three sliding joints that enable relative translation along orthogonal axes. Each sliding joint may have a rod with a plurality of markings that can easily be read to acquire measurements from the displacement structure.

Abstract: A system for attaching soft tissue to bone includes an anchor, a suture, and a tissue retainer. The anchor may have a threaded tip that engages the bone, and a suture retention portion with passageways arranged such that each of first and second anchor portions of the suture can be drawn through the passageways along only a single direction. The tissue retainer has passageways through which the suture can freely move in either direction. Thus, the anchor and the tissue retainer may be attached to bone and tissue, respectively, and the suture may be drawn to substantially irreversibly draw the bone and tissue together. In alternative embodiments, an anchor may receive only one portion of suture and/or one suture end may be affixed to the anchor. The anchor may alternatively permit free motion of the suture, while the tissue retainer permits passage of the suture along only one direction.

Abstract: A prosthetic replacement for a posterior element of a vertebra comprising portions that replace the natural lamina and the four natural facets. The prosthetic replacement may also include portions that replace one or more of the natural spinous process and the two natural transverse processes. If desired, the prosthesis replacement may also replace the natural pedicles. A method for replacing a posterior element of a vertebra is also provided.

Abstract: A line lock includes a body at least partially bounding a primary passageway, a secondary passageway, and a working passageway. The passageways may be sized to receive two locking portions of a suture such that each of the locking portions can only be moved through the line lock along one direction. The passageways may be symmetrically arranged to receive the two locking portions in symmetrical fashion. The passageways may also be arranged such that two ends of the suture can be drawn in substantially opposite directions to advance the body along the suture. The body may have one or more grooves into which corresponding portions of the suture can be pressed via tension in the suture to enhance locking. The body may have a generally circular profile that facilitates advancement of the body along the suture to tighten the suture against, for example, internal bodily tissue.

Abstract: Implants and methods are presented for surgically repairing a hip joint with a proximal femoral prosthesis that comprises femoral head component and a femoral stem component. The femoral stem component comprising a neck portion, a flange portion, a transitional body region and an elongated stem. The femur is prepared for implantation of the femoral hip prosthesis by resecting the proximal femur and reaming a symmetric intramedullary cavity in the femur. The femoral hip prosthesis is then inserted the on the resected femur and in the intramedullary cavity. The femoral hip prosthesis elastically deforms when loaded during use to apply dynamic compressive loads and displacement to the calcar region of the resected proximal femur.

Abstract: A medication infusion system may include a controller and a reservoir module including a reservoir containing medication to be delivered to an internal wound site via the controller. The controller may have a peristaltic pump driven by a motor to urge medication to flow toward the internal wound site. The controller and the reservoir module may each have a mating surface oriented such that the reservoir module can slide into engagement with the controller along a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the motor. The mating surfaces may have features such as dovetails that facilitate secure assembly and retention. A reservoir module may include only a single reservoir for infusion, or two separate reservoirs for infusion and aspiration. One single controller may be capable of mating with either type of reservoir module to provide only infusion, or infusion combined with aspiration, as desired.

Abstract: A frame is attachable to first and second bone portions of a patient to facilitate measurement and resection of one or more bony landmarks. The frame has two anchoring features, each of which has a semispherical surface that permits rotational adjustment of the frame against the bone portions until the frame is secured. A bridging structure couples the anchoring features together such that the anchoring features are lockably movable with respect to each other. The bridging structure may have three linear sliders that provide the relative motion. A locking mechanism exerts pressure on all three sliders to lock them in place. An external anchoring feature enables attachment of the frame to a stationary reference to stabilize the frame. The frame also has registration features that permit attachment of measurement or resection tools to the frame. The frame is particularly useful for measuring and resecting spinal facets for facet replacement.

Abstract: A system for restoring articular cartilage has a cover, an anchor, and a tether that cooperate to retain graft tissue with respect to a graft site. The cover is attached to the anchor via the tether. The tether passes through a tunnel through a bone to which the articular cartilage is attached. The tunnel connects the graft site to an anchoring side of the bone. The anchor is retained proximate the anchoring side such that tension in the tether keeps the cover in place over the tissue graft to capture the tissue graft at the proper position with respect to the graft site. The cover and/or the anchor may be bioabsorbable. The cover may be perforated to permit fluids to access the tissue graft from outside the cover to enhance incorporation of the graft tissue with the graft site. The cover may be formed of rigid or flexible materials.

Abstract: A medication infusion system may include a controller and a reservoir module including a reservoir containing medication to be delivered to an internal wound site via the controller. The controller may have a peristaltic pump driven by a motor to urge medication to flow toward the internal wound site, through a conduit. A blockage sensor disables the motor and provides an alarm if the tube is blocked. The blockage sensor detects distention of a preferentially distendable portion of the tube, which may be routed about a constraining member. When blockage occurs, the tube distends preferentially along a direction generally parallel to the radius about which the tube bends. The blockage sensor may include a variety of switching elements, such as a pushbutton switch, a metal ring encircling the tube to make contact between conductors, and/or a metal bridge bendable to make contact between conductors.

Abstract: A prosthesis for the replacement of the cartilaginous structures of a spine motion segment is described. The prosthesis comprises an intervertebral disc prosthesis in combination with a facet joint prosthesis.

Abstract: A prosthesis for the replacement of the cartilaginous structures of a spine motion segment is described. The prosthesis comprises an intervertebral disc prosthesis in combination with a facet joint prosthesis.