Abstract: Basal thumb joint implant has a head with a smooth, generally hemispherical, medio-proximally directed, articulating surface, and a generally abrupt, distally directed, truncation thereto; and a stem attached to the head, which arises from the truncation of the head and includes at least one of the following features: A) a general angle of attachment to the head which is acute in relation to the truncation of the head; B) a flanged cross-sectional stem profile; C) an inwardly curved stem; D) an eccentric head attachment site for the stem. The implant may be one-piece or modular in construction.

Abstract: A bone fixation apparatus comprising a shape memory effect material includes a bridge member having at least three sides and an open center portion. Each of the bridge member sides defines a curve having a respective first radius when the shape memory effect material is in a first state, and a respective second radius larger than a corresponding first radius when the shape memory effect material is in a second state. Elongate members are connected to, and extend outwardly from, the bridge member. Each of the elongate members are connected to the bridge member at an approximate intersection of a respective two of the sides, such that each elongate member is subject to a force from each of two intersecting sides, and moves toward the open center portion of the bridge member when the shape memory effect material changes from the second state to the first state.

Abstract: Basal thumb joint implant has a head with a smooth, generally hemispherical, medio-proximally directed, articulating surface, and a generally abrupt, distally directed, truncation thereto; and a stem attached to the head, which arises from the truncation of the head and includes at least one of the following features: A) a general angle of attachment to the head which is acute in relation to the truncation of the head; B) a flanged cross-sectional stem profile; C) an inwardly curved stem; D) an eccentric head attachment site for the stem. The implant may be one-piece or modular in construction.

Abstract: An implant for insertion into a joint between articulating bones is provided. The implant includes a generally cylindrical metal body having a plurality of threads disposed thereon. The implant also includes a smooth polymeric portion that is configured to be disposed between the articulating bones of the joint. The polymeric portion provides a bearing surface for the articulating bones, and thus inhibits friction and irritation of the joint tissue. A pin is axially disposed through the polymeric portion and through the body and provides an attachment feature to facilitate rotation of the implant and engagement of the threads within the joint.

Abstract: A bone fixation apparatus comprising a shape memory effect material includes a bridge member having at least three sides and an open center portion. Each of the bridge member sides defines a curve having a respective first radius when the shape memory effect material is in a first state, and a respective second radius larger than a corresponding first radius when the shape memory effect material is in a second state. Elongate members are connected to, and extend outwardly from, the bridge member. Each of the elongate members are connected to the bridge member at an approximate intersection of a respective two of the sides, such that each elongate member is subject to a force from each of two intersecting sides, and moves toward the open center portion of the bridge member when the shape memory effect material changes from the second state to the first state.

Abstract: An implant for insertion into a tarsal sinus includes a metal body having a plurality of threads disposed thereon. The body also includes a generally smooth, non-threaded portion that provides an articulating surface for the bones of the joint. The non-threaded portion tapers along a length, decreasing in size toward the tarsal sinus opening. This configuration mimics the shape of the tarsal canal when the foot is bearing weight, and therefore distributes the weight over a relatively large surface area.

Abstract: An implant for insertion into a joint between articulating bones is provided. The implant includes a generally cylindrical metal body having a plurality of threads disposed thereon. The implant also includes a smooth polymeric portion that is configured to be disposed between the articulating bones of the joint. The polymeric portion provides a bearing surface for the articulating bones, and thus inhibits friction and irritation of the joint tissue. A pin is axially disposed through the polymeric portion and through the body and provides an attachment feature to facilitate rotation of the implant and engagement of the threads within the joint.

Abstract: Prosthetic joint replacement ensemble includes an artificial joint implant component having a non-bone-interfacing rough surface for ingrowth of fibrous tissue, preferably about a peripheral boundary. The component can be made of metal, and have the rough surface provided by porous metal coating. When the prosthesis is implanted, the extramedullary rough surface engenders ingrowth of soft fibrous tissue so that it forms, as it were, a reconstituted capsular “bag” in which wear debris from the joint, for example, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene wear debris, is trapped, thus keeping those particles from gaining access to supporting bone at the bone-prosthetic interface. And so, with mitigation of wear debris dispersion, debris wear-induced osteolysis can be ameliorated.

Abstract: A joint implant, which is not itself a femoral component for a conventional hip joint replacement prosthesis having a diamond or diamond like coated ball, has a diamond or diamond like coated articulating surface. The coating can be transitional in nature. The implant can be based on a suitable support material, for example, a metal, a ceramic, or a plastic, with the support material being coated with the diamond or diamond like substance. The implant may be, for instance, for a ginglymous type, an enarthrodial type, or a digital joint. Convex and/or concave articulating surface(s) of a prosthesis can have the coating.

Abstract: An article of manufacture for load bearing medical use such as a joint implant suitable for total joint replacement. The article comprises a polyurethane-containing component and is monolithic with respect to polyurethane-containing component(s). The joint for long term load applications is structurally an articulated joint and the polyurethane component provides a surface for articulation with the polyurethane.

Abstract: A hip joint socket implant for total hip replacement, can contain a modified surface configuration of its cement-fixable outer wall having small, widely dispersed cement spacer elevation members. The implant has a unique snap-fitted arrangement of the head-restraining marginal outlet of the acetabular component with posterior and anterior cut outs of the implant to avoid premature impingement against a prosthetic femoral neck, allowing a normal, non-dislocating range of unobstructed external and internal rotation of the hip, and a hood that is a marginally extended continuation of the superior one-half or so of the cup containment that is of a sufficient magnitude to reduce the overall dimension of the socket outlet to less than a hemisphere, which is especially pertinent to a conventional hip replacement acetabular cup prosthesis.

Abstract: An enarthrodial type joint socket implant, for example, for total hip replacement, can contain a modified surface configuration of its cement-fixable outer wall having small, widely dispersed cement spacer elevation members, for example, rectangularly-oriented cement spacer elevation members in block form with dove tailed configurations, which are sufficiently high to provide an appropriately thick cement mantle to assure an optimally proficient implant-stabilizing cement mantle which is universally consistent and technically routine to implant.

Abstract: Modular ball and socket joint has 1) a cupped ball head, preferably of ceramic, having a support body with an inferior, deep, distally facing, preferably generally planar, surface having a substantially circular outer boundary thereto; a distally opening stem receiving bore preferably centrally located in the support body; a cup wall, extending distally from the support body and having a preferably substantially cylindrical inner surface which extends from said outer boundary of said distally facing surface; and a superficially facing, generally semispherical, smooth external surface, preferably and optimally of a low friction coefficient, encapsulating the support body and cup wall; and 2) an interchangable and modular stem, preferably of metal or metal alloy, having a distally directed spike, and a superior stem cap which is insertable into the bore of the head; optionally with 3) a head-receiving articular cup having an inner articular surface and a mountable back surface, the articular surface of which, w