Abstract: A device immobilizes bones of a patient such as a surgically exposed femur and tibia during a knee replacement operation. The device has a vertical frame including a pair of first members and at least one second member bracing the first members. A support mechanism is mounted on the first members to permit adjustment of the height of the support mechanism. A first and second series of cantilever members is supported by the support mechanism. First and second bone engagement mechanisms are mounted on respective cantilever members and engage a patient's surgically exposed first and second bones.

Abstract: The invention relates to a prosthetic implant comprising a main body portion having a first surface for presentation to a receptive bone surface or into a bone cavity and a second surface for receipt of an articulating joint, and means on the implant adapted for attachment of a filamentary member, such as a cable. The invention also relates to a surgical tool for gripping the implant, comprising an elongate body having a first end surface for bearing on the prosthetic implant and means for attachment of the tool to the implant, directly or indirectly by means of the cable.

Abstract: A mechanism for powering an auto-extensible tissue distractor, e.g. a bone fixator, is described in which a movable device is caused to move in small incremental steps of a few &mgr;m each along an elongate member towards its distal end under the influence of one or more piezoelectric actuators.

Abstract: The invention relates to a prosthetic implant comprising a main body portion having a first surface for presentation to a receptive bone surface or into a bone cavity and a second surface for receipt of an articulating joint, and a lug on, and/or a bore in, the main body portion of the implant which is adapted for attachment of a filamentary member, such as a cable. The invention also relates to a surgical tool for gripping the implant, comprising an elongate body having a first end surface for bearing on the prosthetic implant and adapted for attachment of the tool to the implant, directly or indirectly by means of the cable.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for use by a surgeon during implantation in a patient of a tibial implant and of a femoral implant in the course of a knee replacement operation. It comprises a navigation computer whose memory is arranged to hold data relating to size and shape of at least one tibial implant and at least one femoral implant as well as data obtained during pre-operative scanning of the patient relating to the tibia and femur of the patient and also data relating to the three dimensional position and orientation of at least one bone selected from the patient's tibia and the patient's femur obtained during the course of the knee replacement operation. It also includes registration means for registering the three dimensional position and orientation of the patient's tibia and/or femur during the course of the knee replacement operation, as well as detector means connected to the computer and operatively coupled to the registration means for detecting the position and orientation of the at least one bone.

Abstract: A prosthesis (1) for a metacarpophalangeal joint comprises a metacarpal plug member (2), a metacarpal insert member (3), and a phalangeal insert member (4). The metacarpal plug member (2) comprises an elongate body (5) which generally tapers from a proximal end (7) to a distal end (8), which has a central longitudinal axis (6), an axial bore (13), and a plurality of axially spaced first fins (9, 10, 11, 12) projecting from the elongate body (5) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis (6). The metacarpal insert member (3) comprising a head portion (15) having a convex articulating surface (17) and a stem portion (16) projecting distally from the head portion (15) for reception in the proximal end of the axial bore (6). The phalangeal insert member (4) comprises an enlarged proximal end portion (19) and an elongate shaft portion (21) that extends distally from the enlarged proximal end portion (19).