Abstract: A method of surface finishing a bone implant comprises the steps of roughening a surface of the implant by blasting with abrasive particles and then pickling the surface-roughened implant in a pickling solution in order to loosen any partially embedded abrasive blasting particles that may be contaminating the surface of the implant. Thereafter the roughened surface of the implant is cleaned by mechanical action to detach the loosened abrasive particles there from. The pickling and cleaning steps are not intended to produce any additional roughening of the treated surface, which should be structured to the required roughness by the initial abrasive blasting, typically such that the Ra and Rt roughness parameters are 3?Ra?7 ?m and 20?Rt?70 ?m respectively.

Abstract: Instrument (11) for handling a joint component of a joint prosthesis, which joint component includes a joint surface, the instrument having a grip portion (10), a suction element, in the form of a suction cup (12) with an air-vent opening (17), placeable in a sealing manner against the joint surface, and a pressure-relief valve (18) associated with the air-vent opening (17) of the suction cup (12). The pressure-relief valve (18) is coupled to an actuating element (14) which is arranged so as to be movable in the region of the grip surface (22) of the grip portion (10) and, when gripped with one hand, is actuable with a finger or the thumb of that hand, so that on actuation of the actuating element (14) the valve (18) is liftable away from the air-vent opening (17).

Abstract: A method of surface finishing a bone implant comprises the steps of roughening a surface of the implant by blasting with abrasive particles and then pickling the surface-roughened implant in a pickling solution in order to loosen any partially embedded abrasive blasting particles that may be contaminating the surface of the implant. Thereafter the roughened surface of the implant is cleaned by mechanical action to detach the loosened abrasive particles there from. The pickling and cleaning steps are not intended to produce any additional roughening of the treated surface, which should be structured to the required roughness by the initial abrasive blasting, typically such that the Ra and Rt roughness parameters are 3?Ra?7 ?m and 20?Rt?70 ?m respectively.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing implant parts made of highly cross-linked polyethylene, wherein a blank made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene is irradiated with ionizing radiation in order to produce radicals in the blank. To optimize the cross-linkage of the highly cross-linked polyethylene and to eliminate free radicals, the blank is subsequently treated by means of microwave radiation and/or ultrasound in such a way that free radicals, which have not recombined, are excited so as to ensure substantially complete recombination of the free radicals. The shape of the treated blank can then be adjusted by means of machining. The invention further relates to implant parts for application in human medicine that have been manufactured as described above.

Abstract: A femoral slideway and femoral slideway/femur-size template combination is employed to create an installed knee prosthesis that creates a reduced amount of stress in the collateral ligaments relative to previous prosthesis. In one embodiment, the reduced stress is achieved by employing a femoral slideway/femur-size template combination which results in installation of a femoral slideway which has a smaller dorsal-ventral dimension than a corresponding dimension of the femur prior to resection.

Abstract: A femoral slideway and a femoral slideway/femur-size template combination is employed to create an installed knee prosthesis that creates a reduced amount of stress in the collateral ligaments relative to previous prostheses. In one embodiment, the reduced stress is achieved by employing a femoral slideway/femur-size template combination which results in installation of a femoral slideway which has a smaller dorsal-ventral dimension than a corresponding dimension of the femur prior to resection.

Abstract: Leaflike shaft (1) of a hip-joint prosthesis for anchoring in the femur, according to a towards a distal end (5), with a femur-anchoring section (1a, . . . 1i) having a long axis (A) and with a prosthesis neck (2), wherein the femur-anchoring section (1a, . . . 1i) has a substantially rectangular external contour in a plane perpendicular to the long axis (A), optionally with recesses in the side edges and/or at the corners.

Abstract: Tibial component (10) of a knee-joint endoprosthesis with a flat tibial bearing surface (11), a bearing body (12) that is slidably seated thereon and comprises two concave bearing dishes (13) in which a femoral component can be movably seated, and with a rotational guide means that guides the rotation of the bearing body (12) on the tibial bearing surface (11) about an axis (14) perpendicular thereto. The guide means comprises a bearing post (15) in the form of a regular cylinder that stands upright on the tibial bearing surface (11) and has at least one projection (16, 17) extending radially outward. The bearing post so constructed can be inserted into a post receptacle (19) that is formed on the underside of the bearing body (12) with a receiving groove (20) corresponding to the post projection (16, 17). The at least one post projection (16, 17) extending radially outward is spaced apart from the free end (24) of the post.

Abstract: A profiled shaft for anchoring a hip-joint prosthesis in the femur is disclosed, with a shaft section and a fixation section that is formed at the end of the shaft section and that serves for the fixation of a spherical joint head, wherein the shaft section on the lateral surface in the proximal region merges with a trochanter wing at the edges of which beveled surfaces are formed. The essential point of the invention is that the angle formed between the plane of a beveled surface the plane of the adjacent surface is smaller than 135° and larger than 90°. In a construction of this kind the advantage of an improved filling of the empty space in the trochanter-wing region is achieved.

Abstract: A method of finding the position of a mechanical axis running in the longitudinal direction through a limb that is rotatably supported by its first end in a center of rotation that is not fixed and is not accessible for the mechanical determination of coordinates, by means of an optical coordinate-measurement device with an indicator to detect measurement-point coordinates in one rotational position of the limb, such that, for each rotational position, a multi-point indicator rigidly attached near the second end of the limb signals several measurement-point coordinates, and, from the sets of measurement-point coordinates detected in a plurality of rotational positions, at least one group is selected that can be assigned to the same site of the center of rotation, and the measurement-point-coordinate sets assigned to this site of the center of rotation are used to calculate the mechanical axis.