Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for implanting and cementing the femoral stem component of a hip prosthesis. The process includes the steps of resecting the femoral neck, reaming a bore into the proximal medullary canal, enlarging that bore to accommodate the elongated stem of the femoral component, including the greater enlargement of the portion of the bore adjacent the transverse plane of the neck resection, establishing a peripheral shoulder in the cancellous bone of the medullary canal to seat a sealing plug, installing on the seat a perforable sealing plug, injecting the cavity with cement and implanting the femoral stem in the enlarged bore of the medullary canal by puncturing the sealing plug with the distal end of the stem and moving the stem distally further so that the sealing plug becomes a collar around the stem intermediate its ends.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis, the inner surface of the valve ring of which continuously narrows in flow direction, is provided with a special manner of supporting the closing members. The valve ring is provided with sector-shaped recesses into which a respective oblong journal pin of the closing member extends. In the opening and closing movement, the journal pin sweeps the bottom of the recess like a windshield wiper. Thus, a formation of thrombi in the vicinity of the bearings is prevented.

Abstract: An artificial heart valve is designed to fit into a blood vessel when a patient is too weak to undergo open heart surgery. The valve has a disk shaped flap valve threaded on a bent wire which may be anchored in a blood vessel. One embodiment uses a clip anchor which is bent into somewhat the shape of a safety pin. Another embodiment uses a STENT as the anchor. The wire snags on the wall of the blood vessel in order to keep the valve from migrating through the blood vessel. The flap valve opens and closes under the pressure of blood which is ebbing and flowing responsive to a pumping heart.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in assisting a human heart is disclosed. A skeletal muscle is formed into a pouch which then surrounds a collapsible, shape-retaining bladder. The bladder is connected to a second bladder enclosed in a sheath around a portion of the aorta. The bladders are filled with a fluid such that when the skeletal muscle contracts in response to an electrical stimulation, the fluid is forced from the first bladder into the bladder sheathed with the aorta, expanding that bladder and forcing the aorta to compress.A period of vascular delay and electrically stimulated training is preferred after the pouch is formed and before use in conjunction with the aorta. Use of a gate means between the two bladders enables implantation of the entire system in one surgical procedure.

Abstract: A power assisted mechanism is applied to prosthetic valves as a way of initiating closure of the valve at the appropriate moment in the pump cycle to minimize regurgitation, to create an electromagnetic force to decelerate completion of valve closure to minimize traumatic hemolysis of red blood cells, and to provide a negative charge to the valve as a way of repelling red blood cells and platelets to reduce thrombogenic phenomena and to provide a cushioning force field effect to reduce red blood cell hemolysis associated with turbulent flow across the valve. In one embodiment, a known tilting disc valve comprising an annular frame or cage and a disc pivotably mounted thereon has a fixed electromagnet attached to the annular frame and a permanent magnet attached to the tilting disc. When energized, the resultant magnetic field will repel the permanent magnet located on the free floating disc thereby closing the valve.

Abstract: An artificial pericardium is a sac formed with an opening into which an artificial blood pumping device is positioned. Apertures with collars are secured to blood inlets and outlets as well as operation signal lines. The sac is closed and a fluid is injected into the sac to urge the sac outwardly against the surrounding tissue.

Abstract: An artificial heart device for producing heart pumping action as part of a total artificial heart implant comprising a semi-rigid housing of approximate ellipsoidal configuration which encloses a pumping volume divided into a blood chamber and a pumping chamber by a deformable diaphragm structure which is symmetrically positioned about a short axis of the ellipsoid housing. This diaphragm structure is also configured as a hemiellipsoidal structure, allowing the device to have smaller dimensions but to maintain the required high stroke volume necessary to function within a human circulatory system. The device includes valved inlet and outlet openings coupled through the housing and in communication with the blood chamber. A pneumatic pump is coupled to the pumping chamber through a series of concentric vents formed within the base of the artificial heart device.

Abstract: The invention provides an articular prosthetic implant with temporary fixing, more particularly intended for the feet and the hands, characterized in that it is formed, on the one hand, of a cup or similar, shape formed centrally with a hole (2) and intended to be positioned between two bone pieces (4,5) in line with their articulation and, on the other hand, a reovable fixing pin (3) able to slide freely in the hole (2) in said cup (1), for temporarily immobilizing the cup (1) and the adjacent bone pieces (4,5) by being inserted through the medullary canals of the bone pieces concerned (4,5,6) and the hole (2) in the previously positioned cup (1).

Abstract: An inflatable implant has a flexible shell that forms an internal lumen. It has a base portion and an envelope portion, with an aperture through the base. A tubing storage shell is in the lumen and attached to the base, forming a peripheral seal with the base around the aperture in the base. A flexible fill tubing is structurally permanently attached to the tubing storage shell, sealed with the aperture in the tubing storage shell and passing freely through the aperture in the base. A substantial length of the fill tubing is stored in the storage shell which can be drawn toward an incision in the skin of the patient so the volume of the implant can be adjusted without directly accessing the shell.

Abstract: Prosthesis for the correction of myodystrophies; the prosthesis comprises a shaped body in an elastomeric material, having the form and consistency of the tissues of the area of the limb to be corrected. The body of the prosthesis has at least one elastically dilatable part defining a cavity which can be expanded by filling with a pressurized liquid; a filling tube is connected to said expandable cavity by a check valve.

Abstract: Improved resistance to linear displacement through bone is observed in a prosthetic patellar joint when the joint is attached to the patella by a protuberance which has a concave shape.

Abstract: A temporary circulatory assist pump is disclosed for implantation in the heart of a patient through the femoral artery. The pump is driven by a flexible drive shaft extending through a catheter and being connected to a power source outside the body of the patient. The pump utilizes the moineau pumping principal to pump blood at a rate of approximately three to four liters per minute through the circulatory system of the patient.

Abstract: The tibial anchoring part is formed of a flat semi-circular bearing element which defines a tibia plateau for receiving a plastic bearing element as well as a blade-like fixing element. This fixing element extends at an incline from ventral to dorsal in a distal direction and has a cutting edge at the dorsal edge for penetrating into the bone. An enlargement is also provided distally of the fixing element to prevent inadvertent pullout of the part and is also provided with a cutting edge at the dorsal edge of the anchoring part.

Abstract: Acetrabular cup as part of a hip joint prosthesis is composed of an outer support ring and a plastic inner socket insertable into the support ring. The acetabular cup includes a covering cap provided with at least one metal surface which covers the part of the inner socket not surrounded by the support ring and whose metal outer contour supplements the socket to give it the spherical shape of an essentially closed hemisphere or spherical cap.

Abstract: Implantable artificial bladder and method for the collection of, the storage of, or the discharge of biological fluids using the natural peristaltic pressure of a patient's ureter or ureters or of an artifical ureter to fill a first chamber of the artificial bladder and a constant force stored energy means in a second chamber isolated by a rolling diaphragm from the first, said means biasing the rolling diaphragm against the first chamber and serving to empty the implantable artificial bladder.

Abstract: The method of replacing a defective atrio-ventricular valve in a patient's heart with a tissue atrio-ventricular valve bioprosthesis is provided. The replacement atrio-ventricular valve from the donor heart includes an annulus, a plurality of chordae, and papillary muscles attached thereto. The surgical operation includes removal of the defective valve from the patient's heart, and the insertion of each papillary muscle of the replacement valve longitudinally into a corresponding papillary muscle in the patient's heart. The papillary muscles of the replacement valve are secured in position within the patient's heart and the annulus of the replacement valve is secured to the annulus of the patient's heart. An introducer is utilized for inserting the papillary muscles of the replacement valve into the papillary muscle of the patient's heart, using the Seldinger technique.

Abstract: An implantable blood pump (10) for providing either continuous or pulsatile blood flow to the heart. The pump includes a stator (16) having a cylindrical opening (14), an annular array (36 or 38) of electromagnets (40, 42) carried by the stator concentric with the cylindrical opening and lying in a plane transverse to the axis (26) of the opening, a bearing (28) carried by the stator and extending across the cylindrical opening, and a rotor (12) supported by the bearing for rotation about the axis of the cylindrical opening, the rotor being in the form of an Archimedes screw and having a permanent magnet (48) in its periphery which lies in the same plane as the array of electromagnets. A controller (44) is provided which is capable of causing the array of electromagnets to be sequentially energized to cause the rotor to rotate.

Abstract: This prosthesis essentially comprises a given size stem at the top portion thereto there is provided an oval cross-section seat for firmly coupling one oval end of a coupling bar, the other frustum of cone shaped end of which bears a spherical head to be coupled to a hip acetabulum, the coupling bar having a variable length and a longitudinal axis of any given angle of inclination.

Abstract: An inner conical recess fitting (1) which is connectable to the prosthesis and is intended for receiving a stump (17) of an amputated extremity can be fitted directly to the stump (17) without the aid of modeling in the following procedural steps: to mold the inner conical recess, a plastic which is shrinkable through the action of external influences, such as heat, is selected; a tube (14) which is made of this plastic and is open at at least one end and has a smaller diameter and a smaller length than the inner conical recess fitting (1) to be manufactured is extended and stretched, so that it has in every direction a greater dimension than the inner conical recess fitting (1) to be manufactured; and the widened and stretched molded piece (10) is placed on the stump (17) and is made to shrink through, e.g., application of heat at selected locations, until the fitting bears everywhere securely against the stump.

Abstract: An improved carpal-metacarpal thumb joint prosthesis comprising carpal and metacarpal components which are tapered and threaded to facilitate fixation and to promote bone ingrowth together with a recess formed in the carpal component for holding a mesh disc to further enhance bone in-growth and having the carpal component formed generally U-shaped cavity containing an insert formed of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene which receives the spherical end of a tapered head which is securely received in a corresponding cavity within the metacarpal component.