Patents Assigned to Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
  • Patent number: 10278813
    Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis has a head plate as a first fastening element, a second fastening element for the mechanical connection to the ossicular chain, or to the inner ear, and a connecting element. The head plate has a central coupling region and radially outward extending bridging elements which are connected to the coupling region via a radially inner end region and each transition into an outer free end section. The bridging elements are connected to the coupling region so that they fold together upon introduction of a force component parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein their end sections are pivoted radially closer to the longitudinal axis and thereby also execute an axial movement. The bridging elements, without this force, extend from the coupling region at a predefined, fixed angle. The prosthesis can be inserted into the middle ear of the patient more easily and through a much smaller artificial opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Karl-Bernd Huettenbrink, Axel Lang, Uwe Steinhardt, Markus Gaeckle
  • Publication number: 20180104048
    Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis has a head plate as a first fastening element, a second fastening element for the mechanical connection to the ossicular chain, or to the inner ear, and a connecting element. The head plate has a central coupling region and radially outward extending bridging elements which are connected to the coupling region via a radially inner end region and each transition into an outer free end section. The bridging elements are connected to the coupling region so that they fold together upon introduction of a force component parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein their end sections are pivoted radially closer to the longitudinal axis and thereby also execute an axial movement. The bridging elements, without this force, extend from the coupling region at a predefined, fixed angle. The prosthesis can be inserted into the middle ear of the patient more easily and through a much smaller artificial opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Karl-Bernd HUETTENBRINK, Axel LANG, Uwe Steinhardt, Markus GAECKLE
  • Patent number: 9895252
    Abstract: A rhinological implant for straightening the nasal septum is fastened on both sides of a septum (S), separating left and right sides of a nasal cavity of a human nose, on the outer surface of the septum (S), in the left and the right sides of the nasal cavity. Before implantation, the implant is folded up from an initially flat blank into an implantable three-dimensional shape. The implant has a central back section which in an implanted state wraps around the free lower edge of the septum. Two side sections are provided on either side of the central back section to extend symmetrically with respect to the central back section. In the implanted state, the two side sections bear via the entire surface against the two diametrically opposed outer surfaces of the septum (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Daniel Felix Àwengen, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Patent number: 9730789
    Abstract: A passive ossicular prosthesis has a sound-conducting prosthesis body with a first coupling element for mechanical connection to the incus, malleus, or an actuator end piece of an active hearing aid at one end. The bight is made of a strip-shaped metallic material, partially open toward the outside via a gap-type opening and is intraoperatively crimped in the middle ear for permanent attachment. There is a second coupling element at the other end of the prosthesis body for connection to a further component of the ossicular chain or directly to the inner ear. The bight includes elongated perforations with longitudinal axes extending, in the implanted state, along a curved trajectory at a right angle or slant relative to an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis (a) of the enclosed object to reduce spring action and stiffness and markedly reduce the force to be applied for the crimping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Jack M. Kartush, Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 9532790
    Abstract: A medical cutting device for producing thin cartilage disks has a device body with a first holding device with a first working section having a first recess disposed on a top side of the device body such that the first recess is entirely or partially enclosed by a first delimiting ridge and, a connecting section that is directly, rigidly adjoined by the first working section and a cover with a counterpart section to the connecting section that is directly, rigidly adjoined by a first pressure section, which comprises a central, first pressure plate that is resiliently held in the first pressure section and, in an operating state for producing thin cartilage disks, is disposed opposite the first recess, which is entirely or partially enclosed by the first delimiting ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 9259311
    Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis formed as a sound-conducting, elongated prosthesis body has a first coupling element designed as a tympanic membrane top plate or a clip or a connecting piece to an actuator end piece of an active hearing implant and a second coupling element provided with an access opening into a receiving space designed as a bell or a clip for a mechanical connection of the prosthesis to the head of the stapes. The second coupling element has a backing section on an inner surface of the receiving space as an axial extension of the prosthesis body. The backing section protrudes from the prosthesis body into the receiving space. In an implanted state, the backing section bears against a head of the stapes and prevents a formation of a hollow space between the stapes and an inner surface of the receiving space in an axial extension of the elongated prosthesis body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Seilesh Babu, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 9216081
    Abstract: A total prosthesis for the middle ear, with a prosthesis body, with a first coupling element for connection of the prosthesis to the tympanic membrane or for coupling to the manubrium, and with a second coupling element for connection to the footplate of the stirrup, which second coupling element has a receiving part, connected rigidly to the prosthesis body, and has an insert part with a plug element that can be inserted coaxially, and with a shoe that is connected rigidly to the plug element and that bears on the footplate of the stirrup, is characterized in that the receiving part has an elongate cavity as a receiving opening with a cylindrical bore which extends axially and encloses the full circumference of the plug element and whose inside diameter is greater than the maximum transverse extent of the plug element, which elongate cavity is closed at the end away from the insert part and acts as an end abutment for the plug element, and in that the second coupling element extends axially by at most a thir
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: HEINZ KURZ GMBH MEDIZINTECHNIK
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz, Georg Schmid, Walter Heckmann
  • Patent number: 8936637
    Abstract: A passive ossicular prosthesis includes a first and second fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane. A connecting element connects the fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner. The connecting element includes a receiving part and an insertion part. The insertion part is inserted into a receiving opening of the receiving part. The receiving part encloses an end section of the insertion part in the manner of a clamp by way of two opposing, parallel legs disposed parallel to a shank axis of the connecting element. The legs have catch devices that fix the enclosed end section discrete spatial positions relative to the shank axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Thomas Lenarz, Axel Lang, Heinz Kurz
  • Publication number: 20140364854
    Abstract: A medical cutting device for producing thin cartilage disks has a device body with a first holding device with a first working section having a first recess disposed on a top side of the device body such that the first recess is entirely or partially enclosed by a first delimiting ridge and, a connecting section that is directly, rigidly adjoined by the first working section and a cover with a counterpart section to the connecting section that is directly, rigidly adjoined by a first pressure section, which comprises a central, first pressure plate that is resiliently held in the first pressure section and, in an operating state for producing thin cartilage disks, is disposed opposite the first recess, which is entirely or partially enclosed by the first delimiting ridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: HEINZ KURZ GMBH MEDIZINTECHNIK
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 8906090
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis, which at one end has a first securing element for mechanical connection to a member of the ossicular chain, which securing element is designed in the form of a loop that encloses the member, is partially open to the outside via a slit-like aperture and engages with a force fit around the member, the slit-like aperture being considerably smaller than the diameter of the member engaged by the loop, wherein, after attachment, the loop bears with a force fit on the engaged member via at least three areas, and that, in the circumferential direction around the engaged member, at least three areas of the loop do not touch the engaged member but instead each extend at a distance from the surface of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Alex Huber, Albrecht Eiber
  • Patent number: 8888846
    Abstract: An ossicle prosthesis has, at on one end, a first fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane or a component of the ossicular chain, on the other end, a second fastening element for connection to a further component of the ossicular chain, or directly to the inner ear, and a connecting element that connects the two fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner, and it also includes an elongated applicator for transferring the ossicle prosthesis from a sterile packaging to the surgical site and for insertion into the middle ear or the auditory meatus, with a free end extending away from the prosthesis and used for handling purposes, and with an engagement part which is initially fastened to the prosthesis in a non-positive or form-fit manner, or via a material bridge which may be broken off or sheared off, and which may be detached and removed together with the applicator once the prosthesis has been inserted into the ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz, Daniel Felix Awengen
  • Publication number: 20140303728
    Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis formed as a sound-conducting, elongated prosthesis body has a first coupling element designed as a tympanic membrane top plate or a clip or a connecting piece to an actuator end piece of an active hearing implant and a second coupling element provided with an access opening into a receiving space designed as a bell or a clip for a mechanical connection of the prosthesis to the head of the stapes. The second coupling element has a backing section on an inner surface of the receiving space as an axial extension of the prosthesis body. The backing section protrudes from the prosthesis body into the receiving space. In an implanted state, the backing section bears against a head of the stapes and prevents a formation of a hollow space between the stapes and an inner surface of the receiving space in an axial extension of the elongated prosthesis body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: HEINZ KURZ GMBH MEDIZINTECHNIK
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Seilesh Babu, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 8764827
    Abstract: A test device for an ossicular prosthesis for implantation in the middle ear that includes a first fastening element, a second fastening element and a connecting element that connects the two fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner. Parts of the ossicular prosthesis are made of a material having memory effect and subjected to shape-altering thermal treatment at implantation. The test device also includes a device for determining an optimized power setting or an energy application site for preparing parts of the ossicular prosthesis to be subjected intraoperatively to thermal treatment using a prosthesis mock-up that is identical in design to the ossicular prosthesis in terms of material, geometric shape, and manufacturing method in the parts to be subjected intraoperatively to thermal treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventor: Uwe Steinhardt
  • Patent number: 8685090
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) with a sound transmitting prosthesis body (13) has first and second coupling elements (11, 12) provided at opposite ends. A stabilizer element (14) fixes the prosthesis on a level with the plane of the tympanic membrane and stabilizes the position of the prosthesis in the middle ear. A fixation part (14.2) anchors the Y-shaped stabilizer element at one or more places of the ear canal wall. The fixation part includes two hooked anchoring elements (16) that secure the fixation part in artificially drilled holes in the ear canal wall. The auditory ossicle prosthesis has a particularly simple and compact design and stays spatially fixed within very small variations in its initial position after implantation inside the middle ear cavity, providing effective protection against post-operative dislocation, tilting or tipping and without deteriorating sound transmission properties of the prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Robert Vincent, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Publication number: 20140039619
    Abstract: A rhinological implant for straightening the nasal septum is fastened on both sides of a septum (S), separating left and right sides of a nasal cavity of a human nose, on the outer surface of the septum (S), in the left and the right sides of the nasal cavity. Before implantation, the implant is folded up from an initially flat blank into an implantable three-dimensional shape. The implant has a central back section which in an implanted state wraps around the free lower edge of the septum. Two side sections are provided on either side of the central back section to extend symmetrically with respect to the central back section. In the implanted state, the two side sections bear via the entire surface against the two diametrically opposed outer surfaces of the septum (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: HEINZ KURZ GMBH MEDIZINTECHNIK
    Inventors: Daniel Felix ÀWENGEN, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Patent number: 8562614
    Abstract: A medical device that is composed of a sterilizable material, is used to create thin cartilage discs, and includes a device body and a cover with a plurality of holding devices, each of which includes a section that with a recess located in the top side of the device body, the recess being entirely or partially enclosed by a delimiting ridge, and being closable via a projection located on the top side of the cover, and in which the lateral delimiting ridge has a guide slot, into which a cutting blade is inserted and guided via an end face of the section and extends, at a distance that differs for each section, parallel to the bottom surface of the particular recess. It is therefore possible to create thin cartilage discs having certain, different thicknesses and a consistent level of quality, even without using the known shims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 8518112
    Abstract: A device for adjusting and fixing relative position between an actuator end piece of an active hearing implant and an element of the ossicular chain or a coupling part to the human inner ear has a connecting element with a first coupling element for coupling to the actuator end piece, a second coupling element, and a shaft-shaped middle part, and the first coupling element geometrically encompasses the actuator end piece with two opposing parallel arms each having a pattern element to fix the encompassed actuator end piece in selectable discrete axial positions in a direction parallel to an axis of the shaft-shaped middle part, for variable-length adaptation and fixing of the actuator end piece relative to the first coupling element in a direction transverse to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Thomas Lenarz, Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 8142500
    Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis has a first fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane or a component of the ossicular chain, a second fastening element for connection to a further component of the ossicular chain, or directly to the inner ear, an elongated connecting element that connects the two fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner and includes an adjusting device for adjusting the axial length of the prosthesis and including at least two partial strands that extend symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element, are extendable and/or compressible in the axial direction, are permanently plastically deformable, and are folded into a plurality of loops transversely to the longitudinal axis before being deformed. As a result, a relatively simple design of the adjusting device considerably reduces the number of different prostheses that must be kept on hand, while ensuring that the prosthesis may be optimally adapted for a specific case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz, Walter Gamer
  • Patent number: 8128694
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at its other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15, 15?, 15?) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16, 16?, 16?) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the web elements are of such a geometric configuration, and their material so chosen, that the web elements can be easily broken off and the radially outer portions appended to them detached from the first securing element, such that the external diameter of the first securing element
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 8128695
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at the other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the coupling area, the web elements and the radially outer portions are of such a geometric configuration, and their material so chosen, that a plastic deformation is effected by stretching or pushing together in the plane of the plate of the first securing element, by means of which plastic deformation
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz