Abstract: In order to improve a surgical holding device for holding a surgical instrument, with a frame, with a first linkage comprising at least two links, which articulatedly connects the frame to a first articulation point associated with the instrument, and with a second linkage comprising at least two links, which articulatedly connects the frame to a second articulation point associated with the instrument, so that a large range of action of the surgical instrument held by the holding device is adjustable as simply as possible, it is proposed that the links of the first linkage be mounted for pivotal movement about pivot axes relative to one another and relative to the frame, and that the pivot axes extend parallel to one another.

Abstract: In a method for determining the angle between the femur and the tibia in the implantation of a unicondylar knee prosthesis, in order to determine in advance the influence of the implantation position of the implant on the angle between the femur and the tibia, it is proposed that the position of the unaltered joint surface on the tibia and/or the femur be determined, that the position of a bearing surface for a unicondylar implant on the tibia and/or the femur be determined, and that the angle between the femur and the tibia be calculated using these position data and the geometrical data relating to the unicondylar implant.

Abstract: In an implant in the form of a plug for closing an opening in the annulus fibrosus, in order to ensure as reliable a fixing of the plug as possible and a secure closure, it is proposed that the plug have rigid anchoring elements for the end plates of adjacent vertebrae on its upper face and on its lower face, and a deformable structure in the area between upper face and lower face.

Abstract: To enable the position and orientation of an instrument which machines a bone to be determined relative to the bone without the need for X-radiation, the invention proposes a method for representing an instrument relative to a bone, in which the structure of the bone in a working plane passing through the bone is determined by means of an ultrasound head which emits and receives ultrasonic radiation in the working plane, in which the three-dimensional position and orientation of the bone and of the ultrasound head are determined by navigation, and from this information the position and orientation of the structure of the bone in a system of coordinates that is fixed with respect to the bone is determined, in which the ultrasound image in this working plane is represented on a display, in which the navigated instrument is aligned in such a way relative to the bone that its working direction is located in the working plane, and in which the working region of the instrument in the working plane is copied in the

Abstract: An aneurysm clip (1) is provided with two arms (2, 3) which are resiliently pivotable towards each other and carry at their free end clamping bars (12, 13) which are resiliently clamped against each other by the spring force of the arms, with outwardly curved sections of the arms adjoining the clamping bars and jointly forming a receiving space (10) for a vessel (11). In order to improve the safety of the application and the possibility of varying the application of the aneurysm clip, the clamping bars protrude from the arms towards both sides and thereby project laterally on both sides over the width of the arms in the outwardly curved sections.

Abstract: A lid for closing a sterile receptacle is provided. The receptacle is formed by a container bottom and container walls and defines a holding space. The lid comprises an angular cover plate which has a plurality of lid corners and closes the holding space in a closure position, such that it can be quickly and securely mounted on the receptacle and transferred to the closure position. A mounting aid is provided for mounting the lid on the receptacle. The mounting aid includes a plurality of mounting aid elements that each overlap at least one container wall at least partly in the closure position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a valve having a base body with a passage opening, a movable valve member for closing and opening the passage opening and an actuating mechanism for moving the valve member in order to open the passage opening. The actuating mechanism has at least two elements made from a shape memory alloy which are secured to the base body or a carrier body connected thereto, and can be alternately shortened in the event of the temperature rising above a threshold temperature and are connected to the valve member in such a way that the valve member can be moved from a position on the passage opening into a position alongside the passage opening when one element is shortened on one side and can be moved back into the position on the passage opening when the other element is shortened on one side.

Abstract: In a sternum closure device for fixing two sternum portions to be joined to each other, comprising a first plate-shaped contact element for placement against the inner surface of the sternum, a clamping element fixed on and protruding transversely from the first contact element, a second plate-shaped contact element for placement against the outer side of the sternum, the second contact element being clampable against the first contact element by means of the clamping element passing through the space between the sternum portions, and fixing projections on the first contact element pointing in the direction towards the second contact element, in order to facilitate placement of the sternum closure device, it is proposed that at least one fixing projection on the first contact element be provided with barb-shaped recesses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a valve having a base body with a passage opening, a movable valve member for closing and opening the passage opening and an actuating mechanism for moving the valve member in order to open the passage opening. The actuating mechanism has at least two elements made from a shape memory alloy which are secured to the base body or a carrier body connected thereto, and can be alternately shortened in the event of the temperature rising above a threshold temperature and are connected to the valve member in such a way that the valve member can be moved from a position on the passage opening into a position alongside the passage opening when one element is shortened on one side and can be moved back into the position on the passage opening when the other element is shortened on one side.

Abstract: In order to secure the screw-in position of a bone screw in an optimum manner in the case of an implant with a threaded bore for receiving the bone screw screwed into it, it is suggested that a fixing member be held on the implant in the direction of the bore adjacent to the threaded bore, this fixing member having an opening which is aligned with the bore and has a diameter which is smaller than the external diameter of the outer edge of the threads of the bone screw, and that the fixing member consist of a material which is so soft that the threads of the bone screw dig into this material or displace it when the bone screw is screwed into the threaded bore of the implant.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording the contour of a surface of a body is provided in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus comprises a carrier on which at least one distance measuring element is disposed. The at least one distance measuring element is capable of determining a distance between the carrier and a location on the surface of the body. A navigation system with marking elements is provided. The marking elements are fixable on the carrier and on the body, such that positional data regarding the position of the body and the carrier can be determined by the navigation system. A data-processing device device is also provided, which is adapted to calculate the contour of the surface from the positional data of the body and of the carrier and the distance measurements of the at least one distance measuring element.

Abstract: In order to improve surgical scissors with two scissor blades mounted for pivotal movement relative to each other about a pivot axis and having one cutting edge each, the scissor blades having proximally of the pivot axis one sliding surface area each, the sliding surface areas sliding along each other and the scissor blades contacting each other distally of the pivot axis at a moving point of contact of the cutting edges sliding along each other when the scissors are opened and closed, and at least one of the cutting edges being provided with a hard material coating, so that their service life is further increased, it is proposed that at least one of the two sliding surface areas have a first hard material coating-free surface. A method for the manufacture of surgical scissors is also proposed.

Abstract: In order to improve a lid for closing a receptacle, which is formed by a container bottom and container walls and defines a holding space, of a sterile container which comprises the lid and which is developed in particular for holding surgical instruments or material and preserving the latter in a sterile state, wherein the lid comprises an angular cover place which has a plurality of lid corners and closes the holding space in a closure position, such that it can be quickly and securely mounted on the receptacle and transferred to the closure position, it is proposed that the lid should have a mounting aid for mounting the lid on the receptacle, that the mounting aid should comprise a plurality of mounting aid elements and that the mounting aid elements should each overlap at least one container wall at least partly in the closure position. It is further proposed that a sterile container be improved by comprising such a lid for closing a receptacle.

Abstract: In order to be able to ascertain the position of the bone in the body without complicated procedures in a process for the preoperative determination of the positioning data of endoprosthetic parts of a central joint relative to the bones forming the central joint, a respective outer articular point is determined by way or movement of the bones about a respective outer joint which is located at the end of the two bones facing away from the central joint. An articular point is determined for each of the two bones in the area of the central joint, and a direction characteristic for each of these bones is determined by way of a straight-line connection of the two articular points obtained in this manner for the two bones. The orientation of the endoprosthetic parts relative to this characteristic direction is then determined. Apparatus for carrying out the process is also provided.

Abstract: In a guiding device for a surgical machining tool, which, in particular, is securable to a bone to be worked on and comprises a guiding element which guides the machining tool and is mounted on the guiding device so as to be displaceable in one plane, in order to improve the visibility of the operating site, it is proposed that the guiding element be connected to a frame of the guiding device by at least one lever by means of a pivot whose axis of rotation extends perpendicularly to the guiding plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sterile container, especially for receiving and containing surgical instruments or material in sterile conditions, comprising a receiving area formed by a container bottom and container walls, a lid for sealing the receiving are, and a gas exchange opening which can be sealed by a sterile filter maintained in a filter holder. In order to simplify replacement of the sterile filter and to simplify the production of the lid, the sterile filter and filter holder form a filter unit and the filter holder is mounted on the lid.

Abstract: In order to improve the precision of determining the articulation point with a method for determining an articulation point of two bones, which are connected by a joint and are connected to pivot relative to one another around at least two non-parallel rotational axes, wherein the two bones are moved relative to one another, measured values describing the movement of a point of a bone in a reference system of the other bone are recorded, a rotational axis describing the movement as rotation is determined from these measured values for a plurality of parts of the path or respectively for one of a plurality of consecutively recorded paths, it is proposed that the deviation in orientation is calculated for the differently oriented rotational axes determined in this way and from the differently oriented rotational axes an articulation point is calculated only when the deviation in orientation of the rotational axes exceeds a specific value.

Abstract: In order to simplify the insertion of the tool in the case of a coupling for a surgical rotary drive hand piece including a tool which is mounted in the hand piece and driven thereby in rotary manner and incorporating a sleeve-shaped, rotary driven seating in the hand piece into which a shank of the tool is adapted to be inserted so as to form an interlocking rotary drive means, and including at least one locking body which is adapted to be inserted radially into the interior of the seating and which, in an inserted locking position, engages in a recess in the shank and thereby secures it from axial displacement, whereas, in a radially withdrawn position, it leaves the recess and thus enables an axial displacement of the shank in the seating, it is proposed that a driver having at least one contact surface on the side thereof facing the tool and which rotates with the sleeve and is axially displaceable with respect thereto be arranged in the sleeve-shaped seating for the purposes of forming an interlocking ro

Abstract: In order to improve a surgical positioning and holding device for positioning and holding a guide for a surgical machining tool, with at least one fastening element for fixation to a bone to be machined and with a platform held on the at least one fastening element so as to hold the guide, so that anchoring surfaces may be prepared in a simple manner and with a high degree of precision on a bone to be machined, it is proposed that the guide be mounted for rotation about a first axis of rotation and be designed such that at least one surface concentric with the first axis of rotation may be prepared with the machining tool guided in or held on the guide.

Abstract: In order to conduct navigation-assisted knee operations in a simple and optimum manner, a patella reference device is proposed for the determination of the spatial position of a patella of a human knee joint during a navigation-assisted surgical procedure, comprising a base unit that can be secured on the patella, a reference element that can be detected by a detection device and a connecting device for the detachable connection of the base unit and the reference element in a first reference position and in at least one further second reference position differing from the first reference position.