Abstract: A medical bone screw in particular in pedicle screw design includes a screw-and-thread shaft which has a distal shaft portion of a preferably smaller core diameter that transitions into a proximal shaft portion of a preferably larger core diameter, whose proximal end is provided with a screw head. The core cross-sectional shape along the distal shaft portion is formed to be out-of-round, preferably polygonal, and the core cross-sectional shape along the proximal shaft portion is formed to be circular.

Abstract: A medical instrument for holding and handling a surgical securing element has a proximal and a distal end. The surgical securing element includes a securing part and a holding part, and is assembled such that in an assembled disposition, the holding part for a connection element is movable in relation to the securing part. The instrument defines a longitudinal axis and includes a pulling part and, movable in relation to the latter in the direction of the longitudinal axis, a pushing part. The proximal end is temporarily couplable to the securing element in the assembled disposition. The instrument further includes an uncoupling device for actively transferring the instrument from a coupled position, in which the pulling part and the holding part are coupled, to an uncoupled position, in which the pulling part and the holding part are separable from one another.

Abstract: An implant is provided which allows for widening of the vertebral canal of vertebrae with less stress on the patient than in heretofore customary surgical procedures, wherein the vertebral arch of a vertebra is cut through, forming an incision gap, or is partially removed and the implant is inserted in the incision gap, wherein the incision gap is bounded by incision faces opposed to each other and the implant comprises an implant body having two contact faces which in the inserted state in the incision gap contact the incision faces of the vertebral arch.

Abstract: In order to so improve a surgical system for connecting body tissue, comprising a surgical instrument having two tool elements movable relative to each other, each of which comprises a high-frequency electrode, the high-frequency electrodes, in an approach position of the tool elements, defining a minimum distance from each other, lying opposite each other and facing each other, that an overstretching of connections of parts of body tissue, in particular, made by a flow of current, is avoided when removing the surgical instrument, it is proposed that the instrument comprise a shaft at the distal end of which at least a first one of the tool elements is arranged or formed, and that a second tool element be adapted to be moved from an operating position, in which it is adapted for movement into the approach position, into a removal position and/or vice versa, a surface area of a perpendicular projection of the second tool element onto a projection plane extending perpendicularly to the shaft direction in the re

Abstract: A control apparatus for use in endoscopes or the like is provided which allows a user to work without fatigue. The control apparatus includes a proximal and distal end sections, each of which has an articulation zone, and a central section arranged therebetween, an outer hollow-cylindrical shaft, an inner cylindrical shaft, and a control element arranged between the shafts and having two or more force-transmitting longitudinal elements extending substantially from the proximal to the distal end section for coupling movement of the distal end section with movement of the proximal articulation section. The longitudinal elements are arranged in spaced-apart relation to one another at substantially regular angular distances which, as measured in a circumferential direction, are selected such that the longitudinal elements are guided without contact in a circumferential direction and optionally guided in contact with the outer and/or the inner shaft in a radial direction.

Abstract: To economically manufacture a surgical clip applicator for U-shaped or V-shaped clips, which allows secure closure of the clips when applied to tissue structures, in particular, also in the case of double-shank or multiple clips, it is proposed that the applicator comprise a handle portion, a shaft adjoining the handle portion, a clip applying tool arranged at the free end of the shaft, and a clip magazine, the applying tool comprising a mouthpiece with tool jaws for holding a clip during the application and a closing device for transferring the tool jaws from an open, idle position to a closed position, and the mouthpiece being made of a plastic material and being held separately from the closing device on the clip applicator.

Abstract: A polyaxial pedicle screw includes a threaded shaft portion for anchoring the pedicle screw in a vertebra, the pedicle screw having one axial end provided with a shaft head which is coupled to a mounting sleeve for a longitudinal beam in a rotatable and/or pivotable manner, including a fixing device for the selective positional fixation of the mounting sleeve with respect to the shaft portion. The fixing device includes a locking element as well as a counterforce part which is formed so as to be separate from the pedicle screw and counteracts the holding force of the locking element, preferably a grub screw or threaded nut, and is designed and/or retained in such a manner that the holding force of the locking element can be selectively released by means of the counterforce part, viz. is without any effect.

Abstract: An implant for reconstructing meniscus defects or partial meniscus defects includes an elevated molding with a femoral condylar contact area, a tibial condylar contact area and an articular capsule contact area, in the manner of an artificial meniscus or artificial partial meniscus with a contour of an outer area that is substantially the same as a natural meniscus or partial meniscus, wherein at least one additional elevation is formed on the outer area of the elevated molding.

Abstract: A sterilization indicator for a sterile container includes a shape-memory element in the form of a compression spring, which, when a predetermined temperature is reached or exceeded, subjects an indicating unit to a defined axial compressive force. The indicating unit is biased by a restoring spring in the counter-direction of the shape-memory element by way of a restoring force which is smaller than the defined axial compressive force. A latching mechanism can be actuated by a closing or locking mechanism of the sterile container. Following or during the closing or locking of the sterile container, the latching mechanism retains the indicating unit in a sterile position, once the unit has been moved into the sterile position by the shape-memory element. Upon opening or unlocking of the sterile container below the sterilization temperature, it frees the indicating unit, whereupon the restoring spring moves the indicating unit back into an unsterile position.

Abstract: A system for anchoring a pedicle screw in a patient's vertebra uses a pedicle screw having a threaded portion sinkable in the vertebral arch. The space between the threaded portion and cortical edge layer of the pedicle is at least partially filled by a spacer that enables an all-round support of the threaded portion at the cortical edge layer. A kit includes a pedicle screw and a spacer which at least partially fills the space between the threaded portion and cortical edge layer of the pedicle. A spacer has an essentially oval cross-section for form-locking fit in a corresponding axial recess sunk in the pedicle and having an axial through-hole to accommodate the threaded portion of a pedicle screw, as well as a spacer in the form of an essentially cylindrical pedicle augmentation in the form of a bone screw or a bone bracket.

Abstract: A sterile container system for the sterile transport and storage of medical, in particular surgical instruments and/or implants during a sterilization process, includes a closable sterile container which is formed by a lid and a trough, and at least one sieve cage which can be inserted therein, at least one fastening device being present which acts, on the one hand, on one of the medical instruments which can be inserted in the sieve cage, immobilizing the instrument on the sieve cage, and at the same time acts on the sieve cage, immobilizing the latter on the sterile container.

Abstract: In a first aspect of the invention, a medical sterile container has a container interior for accommodating articles to be sterilized. The medical sterile container comprises a pressure-activatable sterilization status detection device for detecting a sterilization status of the sterile container. In a second aspect of the invention, a method for determining the sterilization status of a medical sterile container having a container interior for accommodating articles to be sterilized is provided. While the sterile container is undergoing a sterilization process in a sterilization apparatus, pressure differences to which the sterile container is thereby subjected are detected, and the sterilization status sterile is allocated to the sterile container if during the sterilization process a limit value for a pressure gradient per time unit is exceeded.

Abstract: A permanent filter for a medical sterilization container is provided. The permanent filter is made from a ceramic. The ceramic is made from globular substrate grains. A medical sterilization container is also provided, in particular for receiving and storing objects to be sterilized, having a container bottom part and a container top part for closing the container bottom part in a closed position of the sterilization container. At least one of the container bottom part and the container top part have a gas exchange orifice, which is closed with a permanent filter. The permanent filter is made from a ceramic and the ceramic is made from globular substrate grains. In addition, a method is provided for producing a permanent filter for a medical sterilization container. The permanent filter is produced from a ceramic material by sintering. Globular substrate grains are used as the ceramic material.

Abstract: A planar implant for replacement of biological tissues includes a layered structure including a) a lyophilized pericardium layer of biological origin, and b) at least one sponge-like layer of lyophilized extracellular protein.

Abstract: To provide a method with which expansion of the vertebral canal of vertebrae is possible with less stress for the patient than with the surgical methods used to date, it is proposed that herein the vertebral arch be split and an incision gap thereby be formed, and the incision gap bounded by opposed incision surfaces be expanded to a prescribed gap width and the bone substance of the resulting vertebral arch sections thereby be elastically/plastically deformed.