Abstract: Female polyaxial joints for connecting a strut to a support frame of an external fixation device are described having a ball socket and a ball member. The ball member includes a spherical portion and a ball member shaft extending from the spherical portion. At least one aperture is positioned on the ball member and traverses through at least a portion of the ball member shaft. An internal surface of the ball member shaft may be threaded and configured to receive a threaded connector.

Abstract: Female polyaxial joints for connecting a strut to a support frame of an external fixation device are described having a ball socket and a ball member. The ball member includes a spherical portion and a ball member shaft extending from the spherical portion. At least one aperture is positioned on the ball member and traverses through at least a portion of the ball member shaft. An internal surface of the ball member shaft may be threaded and configured to receive a threaded connector.

Abstract: The bone plate (1) has a lower surface (2), an upper surface (3), a thickness T measured between the lower and upper surfaces (2;3), a longitudinal axis (4) and a plurality of plate holes (5) running from the lower surface (2) to the upper surface (3). The bone plate (1) further has a slot (6) extending from the lower surface (2) towards the upper surface (3) and having a width W measured at the lower surface (2) and parallel to the longitudinal axis (4). The slot (6) extends to a maximum distance D measured from the lower surface (2) towards the upper surface (3) of 0.4-0.9 times the thickness T of the bone plate (1). The slot (6) has a width measured parallel to the longitudinal axis (4) which at its maximum extension E is at least 0.8 mm, preferably of at least 3 mm. The slot (6) allows the plate (1) to bend longitudinally—additionally to the intrinsic bendability of the unslotted plate (1)—at most to the amount of 20°, preferably at most to the amount of 10°.

Abstract: The bone plate (1) has a lower surface (2), an upper surface (3), a thickness T measured between the lower and upper surfaces (2;3), a longitudinal axis (4) and a plurality of plate holes (5) running from the lower surface (2) to the upper surface (3). The bone plate (1) further has a slot (6) extending from the lower surface (2) towards the upper surface (3) and having a width W measured at the lower surface (2) and parallel to the longitudinal axis (4). The slot (6) extends to a maximum distance D measured from the lower surface (2) towards the upper surface (3) of 0.4-0.9 times the thickness T of the bone plate (1). The slot (6) has a width measured parallel to the longitudinal axis (4) which at its maximum extension E is at least 0.8 mm, preferably of at least 3 mm. The slot (6) allows the plate (1) to bend longitudinally—additionally to the intrinsic bendability of the unslotted plate (1)—at most to the amount of 20°, preferably at most to the amount of 10°.

Abstract: A method for generating a 3D reference computer model of at least one anatomical structure for comparison with a selectable pre-, intra- or postoperative set of medical images of at least one anatomical structure, the method including: acquiring at least a first and a second medical image of at least one anatomical structure in a preoperative status from different perspectives using a computer assisted medical imaging device, wherein the first and second medical images are represented by a respective first and second set of digital 2D image data; and generating a 3D reference computer model of an anatomical structure by selecting and extracting a 3D atlas model of an anatomical structure to be treated from a generic anatomical atlas provided in the form of a digital data source, and registering at least a section of each of the first and second medical images to the selected 3D atlas model.

Abstract: A method for generating a graphical 3D computer model of anatomical structures in a selectable pre-, intra-, or postoperative status that includes: (A) receiving a preoperative first medical 3D image data set of anatomical structures to be treated of a patient; (B) generating a first graphical 3D computer model of the anatomical structures to be treated in the form of a digital data set using the data received in step (A); (C) receiving a second medical 2D or 3D image data set of the anatomical structures to be treated; (D) generating a second graphical 2D or 3D computer model of the anatomical structures to be treated in the form of a digital data set using the data received in step (C); and (E) carrying out an image registration process of the first graphical 3D computer model using the second graphical 2D or 3D computer model.

Abstract: In a method and a device for precooling the helium tank of a cryostat, in particular one for accommodating a superconductive magnet coil, contamination of the helium tank is avoided by the fact that helium gas is cooled down to the temperature of boiling nitrogen in a closed circuit, the helium gas is then circulated through the helium tank and thereafter cooled down again to the temperature of boiling nitrogen. The helium tank is cooled by means of the helium gas, which has a temperature of 77 K, until the tank has reached that temperature. The interior of the helium tank getting into contact exclusively with helium, the helium tank can be filled with liquid helium immediately after it has reached the precooling temperature, without the need to clean the tank first.