Abstract: An extendable bone plate is provided. The bone plate (which can be quite small) features two plate portions which are longitudinally displaceable relative to each other. The bone plate preferably includes screw holes for bone screws and gear means between the plate portions adapted to adjust the relative positions of the plate portions. The plate portions have guide portions which are longitudinally slidable within a guide member. At least one of the guide portions includes a rack; and a gear or pinion is rotatably supported within the guide member engaged by the rack, the gear or pinion having tool-engaging surfaces.

Abstract: This dynamic external fixation device for the wrist comprises an articulated joint 10 arranged between assemblies 40 and 50 for fixation of groups of pins 60 and 70 inserted in the bone on either side of the articulation 80 whose axis is detected by means of targeting needles 90. The fixation assemblies 40 and 50 permit positioning of the fixation device in the plane of the arrows A and B, while an adjustment device 20 and a device 30 permitting play permit its inclination transversely relative to this plane, without disturbing the positioning previously obtained.

Abstract: A modular prosthesis features at least one male-female fitting, with the female portion being located on one end of one segment of that prosthesis and the mating male portion being located on one end of a second prosthesis segment, with at least the proximal part of the male-female fitting having a taper. The two parts of that fitting can be locked together by a locking mechanism in the form of a novel spacer which also has a taper which mates with the taper of the male-female fitting described above. Multiple modular segments can be assembled together so as to produce a prosthesis as required by the patient.

Abstract: A device comprises two jaws arranged to be pressed one against the other and to grasp a part to be positioned and secured. The part and/or the jaws comprise circular regions presenting a succession of planar or curved facets regularly disposed over said regions, with adjacent facets forming obtuse angles between them whose vertices define sharp edges or points. In a preferred embodiment, the jaws clamping a part having a rounded portion are tightened by means of two screws whose centerlines form an angle with each other, so that upon tightening of the jaws, at least one of the jaws flexes so as to assure a better grip of the rounded portion of the part.

Abstract: An arcuate cradle element for use in an external fixation device is generally in the shape of a partial or full circular toroid whose transverse cross-section comprises two opposed and symmetrical polygonal portions, joined by a web serving to connect and space apart the polygons. The polygonal portions are preferably triangular portions. Two of the arcuate cradle elements of unequal length may be combined to form a full circle.

Abstract: A three-component knee joint prosthesis is disclosed including femoral, tibial and patellar components. During flexion of the prosthetic knee, the patellar component, which has a convex bearing surface, cooperates with and is guided by a patellar track defined by the anterior plate portion, lateral condylar bearing portion and medial condylar bearing portion of the femoral component and a web portion joining the two femoral condylar bearing portions. The inner regions of the two femoral condylar bearing portions are steeply sloped towards the web portion to permit the patellar component to "ride deeply" upon the femoral component at high degrees of flexion, thereby reducing quadriceps tension and expanding the permissible range of motion in flexion.

Abstract: A device for spinal fixation comprises first and second pedicle screw members, a stabilizing member, and an articulating clamp which has securing means for releasably attaching the screw members to the stabilizing member. The device includes locking means such as a clamp bolt to lock the screw members to the articulating clamp.

Abstract: A transcutaneous fixation pin includes a threaded portion with flutes evenly spaced over the circumference of the pin at the anterior end of the threaded portion so as to perform a tapping operation when the end of the threaded portion penetrates a bone fragment. The flutes take the form of a notch creating a cutting edge of the tap, with clearance relief being provided behind the cutting edge of the tap which approaches the centerline of the pin until it reaches the next notch, so as to form a clearance angle. In a modification the flutes are disposed helicoidally in relation to the axis of the thread, with the helix and the thread being pitched in the same direction.

Abstract: A device for osteosynthesis comprises an elongated bone plate and an elongated slide plate adapted to be fitted on the outside of the bone plate. Several longitudinally spaced elongated holes for the reception of bone screws are provided in one longitudinally portion only of the bone plate, while the other longitudinal portion of the bone plate is provided with circular holes and the elongated slide plate is provided with several longitudinally spaced circular holes. The circular holes in the slide plate have a diameter approximately equal to the width of the elongated holes in the bone plate and a pitch substantially equal to the pitch of those elongated holes.

Abstract: A three-component knee joint prosthesis is disclosed including femoral, tibial and patellar components. During flexion of the prosthetic knee, the patellar component, which has a convex bearing surface, cooperates with and is guided by a patellar track defined by the anterior plate portion, lateral condylar bearing portion and medial condylar bearing portion of the femoral component and a web portion joining the two femoral condylar bearing portions. The inner regions of the two femoral condylar bearing portions are steeply sloped towards the web portion to permit the patellar component to "ride deeply" upon the femoral component at high degrees of flexion, thereby reducing quadriceps tension and expanding the permissible range of motion in flexion.

Abstract: A device comprises two jaws arranged to be pressed one against the other and to grasp a part to be positioned and secured. The part and/or the jaws comprise circular regions presenting a succession of planar or curved facets regularly disposed over said regions, with adjacent facets forming obtuse angles between them whose vertices define sharp edges or points. In a preferred embodiment, the jaws clamping a part having a rounded portion are tightened by means of two screws whose centerlines form an angle with each other, so that upon tightening of the jaws, at least one of the jaws flexes so as to assure a better grip of the rounded portion of the part.

Abstract: An external fixation device for the fixation of a broken joint includes first and second fixation rods connected to bone pins intended to be introduced into the bone, and an articulating portion joining the two rods. One of the two fixation rods is connected to a sliding block that slides within the housing of the articulating portion upon a sliding surface having a virtual axis. The articulating portion housing is provided with viewing lines on its cover for accurately sighting the location of the articulation axis of the prosthetic joint.

Abstract: Surgical instrument for aiming and hole-forming purposes for use for example in the implantation of locking nails or the like in bones, the instrument includes an elongated shank and having a gripping portion at one end thereof and an aiming portion at the other end thereof, the aiming portion including a guide member made of a material relatively transparent to X-rays, the guide member having a bore therethrough adapted to slidingly receive an elongated hole-forming tool and having aiming elements located in different planes, the guiding bore being dimensioned for the guidance of a wire-like piercing tool, and the aiming elements being located around the guiding bore in axially spaced planes such that images of the aiming elements coincide on an image screen when the axis of the guiding bore coincides with the beam direction of said X-rays.

Abstract: A femoral hip implant for use in patients requiring a long distal section of the femoral component is provided. For example, it can be used in patients undergoing revision surgery or requiring an implant with a long stem because of a fracture in the femur or a bone defect (for example as a result of a tumor removal). The implant is specially curved in its distal section so that the implant avoids impingement on the wall of the medullary canal even in the region of the isthumus of the bone.

Abstract: A bone nail for the treatment of upper arm fractures comprises a hollow shank adapted to be introduced into the medullary canal and slotted at the distal end, and an expansion screw adapted to be advanced into the shank through rotation of the screw so as to radially expand the slotted end of the shank. An inner thread is formed on the inner wall of the shank outside the slotted region for cooperation with the expansion screw. At least in the slotted region, the cross sectional profile of the shank is provided with alternating elevations and depressions on the inner surface of the wall of the hollow shank.

Abstract: A novel prosthesis for use in repairing or replacing soft tissue is disclosed, which comprises a triaxially-braided fabric element having interwoven first, second and third sets of fibers, with the fibers of the second and third sets being oriented at substantially the same acute braiding angle with respect to the fibers of the first set. An elongated ligament prosthesis exhibiting the desired properties of high strength and high elasticity may be prepared by selecting high elasticity fibers for the first set, orienting said first set of fibers in the longitudinal direction of the prosthesis and selecting fibers having high yield strength and high Young's modulus for the second and third sets. A tubular prosthesis in which high elasticity fibers are oriented in the longitudinal direction is highly suitable for use as a vascular prosthesis. A prosthesis of the invention may also be manufactured in the form of a prosthetic heart valve leaflet.

Abstract: A femoral spacer for positioning a femoral prosthesis is disclosed comprising a hollow body portion having an outside surface and an inside surface. The outside surface is adapted to contact the intramedullary canal wall, and the inside surface is adapted to contact the proximal portion of the prosthesis such that the prosthesis is substantially centered within the intramedullary canal.

Abstract: An adjustable housing suitable to be used with another housing and with a synthetic ligament so as to provide (for example) an anterior cruciate ligament prosthesis system for a knee joint is provided. The adjustable housing features an interior having a step shoulder located therein. A set screw in the housing fixes the synthetic ligament at a desired level of tension. The system has many significant advantages including (but not limited to) being able to withstand very high loads and being able to be retensioned repeatedly and easily without replacing the artificial ligament.

Abstract: An arcuate cradle element for use in an external fixation device is generally in the shape of a partial or full circular toroid whose transverse cross-section comprises two opposed and symmetrical polygonal portions, joined by a web serving to connect and space apart the polygons. The polygonal portions are preferably triangular portions. Two of the arcuate cradle elements of unequal length may be combined to form a full circle.

Abstract: A prosthesis for an anterior cruciate ligament features first and second elongate members, first and second separately tensionable cords, a catch means on the bore surface of each elongate member, and a means for securing the elongate members to the femur and tibia, respectively. The prosthesis has the significant advantage of being able to replace and to perform in substantially the same manner as a natural anterior cruciate ligament. The separate tensioning followed by fixing of the two cords in the implanted prosthesis results in a substantially smoother and more stable range of motion than has been possible with prior art prostheses.