Abstract: The invention shows process steps for the production of attachment faces (3) on metal joint implants, which stand at an angle 0<.alpha.<90 degrees against the insertion and attachment direction (40) and comprise cupular shoulder portions (14), which are opened for attachment against the insertion and attachment direction (40). In a first step, recesses (6) and shoulders (8) are produced by machining, casting or pressing in the attachment faces (3) of a blank (2) at right angles to the insertion and attachment direction (40). The shoulders (8) have an acute-angled cross section, have a height of between 0.3 and 2 mm and a spacing (31) which corresponds roughly to the twice the height (10).

Abstract: The metallic inner shell (1) is guidable into the inner hollow volume of an outer shell (2) and fastenable to the outer shell (2) with the fastening element (8). A two-part hip joint socket (3) is thus produced. To achieve this, support regions of the inner shell (1) are approximately positioned into a groove (11) of the outer shell (2) and, from there, the inner shell (1) is moved into the outer shell (2) via a pivotal movement so that the support regions completely seat into the groove (11) and the fastening element (8) adopts the position shown. The intermediate volume between the inner shell (1) and the outer shell (2) thus narrows in the direction of taper (13) so that the fastening element (8), when tightened in the direction (13), wedges itself with its head (9) between the boundary surface (1i) of the inner shell (1) and the groove (11) of the outer shell (2).

Abstract: A hipjoint socket having a metal outer shell (1) which may be anchored in the pelvis. The shell (1) includes regions (3) of greater wall thickness (D) alternating in the circumferential direction with regions (4) of less wall thickness (d). The regions (3) of greater wall thickness (D) are made as guideshoes for supporting bodies (11) which may be slid onto them. The supporting bodies (11) are fixed to and, if necessary, positioned exactly on the aforesaid regions (3) with fixing members (13). A number of supporting bodies, (11) which may differ in shape and dimensions, are associated with each shell (1).

Abstract: The acetabulum has an outer shell (1) which is composed of several relatively rigid outer shell segments (1a, 1c) that are interconnected by resilient regions. The outer shell (1) has regions of high shape stability which are elastically connected to each other. The outer shell segment (1) in the region of the direction of main loading (F) is made as an attachment zone (1a) and has apertures for bone screws and a guiding and attachment bore (3) for an inner shell (10). The guiding bore (3) is with respect to the whole outer shell (1) situated at the pole (P2).

Abstract: A kit for implanting a socket joint implant has an outer cup (1), an inner cup (2) and fasteners (3, 3a) which are fitted to radially project from the outer cup (1). Each fastener includes a bearer plate (17) arranged on a shaft-like supporting part (18) which is able to bear in an anchoring bore (6) in the bone tissue (5), and a head part (20) which is connected detachably to the supporting part (18) and can be screwed tight from the inside of the outer cup (1) into a guide bore (11) of the cup. The supporting part (18) has a diameter (A) which is less than the diameter (d1) of the guide bore (11). The kit is pre-assembled outside the region of implantation and positioned in the region of implantation while the fasteners (3, 3a) are pulled in towards the center of the outer cup (1). The fasteners (3, 3a) are then pushed into the anchoring bores ( 6) and screwed tight to the outer cup (1) with head parts (20).

Abstract: The artificial joint part consists of a distal spherical bearing member (1), which can be attached by attachment means (16) to the capitate bone (14) or/and hamate bone (15), and also of a platform (18), which is attached to the radius (6) and at right angles to the longitudinal axis (7) of the radius (6) towards the ulna (8) comprises a guide surface (5). An intermediate member (2) is supported at the proximal end with a sliding surface (4) on the guide surface (5) and is displaceable in the direction of the ulna (8), whereas at the distal end it forms a spherical bearing (3) for the bearing member (1).

Abstract: A body (2) for distributing bone cement (8) rests by an elastic collar (4) against the outer edge of a hollow (1) in the bone and has a passage (5) through into the hollow (1) in the bone, into which a syringe (6) for bone cement may be inserted. In the hollow (1) in the bone the body (2) is made as a displacement body of the shape (3) of the implant which is to be inserted later. During injection into the space between the body and the hollow in the bone a designed pressure is maintained until the viscosity of the bone cement (8) is adequate for taking the body (2) out of the hollow (1) in the bone without bone cement (8) flowing back. Subsequently the actual implant may be pressed into the thus prepared but still plastically deformable countermould of bone cement (8) .

Abstract: A method and apparatus for introducing a shank (5) of a prosthesis into a bone cavity is disclosed. A strap 1 having an loop portion 2 and an end portion 3 is wrapped around the shank. The end portion of the strap is then clamped by a clamping device 4 to secure the strap around the shank. The bone cavity is filled with bone cement and the lower end of the shank is introduced into the bone cavity thereby forming a gap between the shank and the outer wall of the bone cavity. A strap substantially seals this gap to minimize leakage of bone cement from the bone cavity. The clamping device 4 allows the end portion of the strap to slip relative to the clamping device when a threshold force is applied against the clamping device. In this manner, the strap will conform to the increasing cross-sectional area of the elongate body of the shank as the shank is introduced into the bone cavity.

Abstract: A hipjoint socket has an outer cup and an inner cup disposed within and secured to the outer cup. The inner cup has a hemispherical bearing surface which is concentric with an axis and terminates at the end face, which is perpendicular to the axis. An open groove formed in the end face is concentric with the axis. A closed ring has axially relatively longer and shorter portions and a cylindrical guiding surface having a diameter about equal to a diameter of the hemispherical guiding surface. The ring includes tongues engaging the groove and thereby securing the ring to the inner cup when the ring abuts the end face. The tongues are able to slide along the groove and position the cylindrical guiding surface concentric with the axis and substantially contiguous with an end of the hemispherical bearing surface at the end face.

Abstract: An anchor for an artificial ligament (1) in a bone (2). The anchor comprises a Y-shaped socket (3) having first and second arms (5, 6) configured at an acute angle with respect to each other. The first arm is sized to receive the ligament and has cross-grooves (15) for gripping the ligament. A bullet shaped clamp element (4) is rotatably mounted to the second arm. The clamp element also has grooves that directly contact the ligament to apply an oblique force against the ligament. The clamp element and the cross-grooves in the first arm completely surround and compress the ligament to frictionally secure the ligament to the socket. This configuration distributes the overall pressure so that the specific pressure at any one point is reduced.

Abstract: The method of comminution of soft tissue (4) from animal or human bodies is performed by a mechanism (10) which exhibits a supply vessel (1), cutter member (2) and collector (3) and forms a closure impermeable to germs against the environment The tissue is removed from the body in a sterile environment, and filled into the supply vessel of the opened mechanism. After the supply vessel has been assembled together with the clutter member and the collector into a mechanism ready for operation, by the employment of pressure-exerting means, preferably compressed gas (11'), the tissue is delivered from the supply vessel into the collector, the tissue being comminuted at the same time by the cutter member.

Abstract: The container for packing hollow endoprostheses (8) comprises two germ-proof wrappings (1, 2). In accordance with the invention the inner wrapping (1) consists of a water-tight wall (10, 11) and various connection points (40, 50, 60). At least two of the connection points (40) are provided as access into the cavity of the prosthesis (8) and one is provided as an outlet (50) for liquids for treating the prosthesis. The outer wrapping (2) comprises through-pieces (42, 52, 62), which are associated with the connection points of the inner wrapping. The two wrappings are permeable to gas at least some regions. In accordance with the invention the container has a second application apart from its protective function: for example, in the case of a hybrid prosthesis for vascular replacement, to perform the charging of the prosthesis with the patient's own endothelial cells in the container.

Abstract: The invention shows a double-cup hipjoint socket of oval cross-section with a spherical bearing cup (4). the metallic outer cup (1) exhibits a constant thickness of wall and is provided with openings (3) for anchoring in the pelvic bone. The inner cup (2) of plastics may be latched to the outer cup (1) and by springy tongues (11) on the opposite side. The oval shape is generated by inserting straight intermediate pieces (5,6) in the inner and outer cups. Through the elongated shape of the outer cup (1) which may be inserted in different directions, an optimum fastening may be striven for. The definitive position of the spherical bearing cup (4) is established for the first time by the insertion of a fitting inner cup (2). In doing so the spherical bearing cups (4) may be shifted in the equatorial plane of the outer cup (1) and/or in the direction of the polar axis of the outer cup.

Abstract: The artificial intervertebral disk member (1) consists of an upper (2) and a lower (3) support, which are attached in the adjacent vertebrae (32, 33), and of an elastic separator (4). The separator is constructed as a separate insert part (5), which can be inserted from outside into the final position (E) and can be fixed there. The upper support (2) is securely connected to the lower support (3) via the elastic separator (4). This produces a "patient-friendly" implant which can be optimally adapted and revised to suit the patients.

Abstract: Shanks designed especially for small joints, for example, finger joints, and having a rectangular cross-section of core (1), exhibit towards their free end plastically deformable lobes (7) of pieces of sheetmetal which may be deformed, e.g., bent intraoperatively, for which they are subdivided at intervals in the axial direction into a number of sections (7a) through cuts (8) running perpendicular to the axis (9) of the shank.

Abstract: A sterile puncturing device for blood vessels is disclosed which has an ultrasound probe (1) capable of non-sterile use. The probe (1) can be introduced into a capsule (12, 13) in the puncturing device. The apparatus has a fluid-tight bag (16) with sterile contents (10), the bag containing a holder (11) with the capsule for the ultrasound probe, and an entrance lock in the bag wall communicates with the opened capsule. The apparatus is disposable. The ultrasound probe, which can be used repeatedly, is introduced into the device shortly before puncturing.

Abstract: A knee joint prosthesis includes two guide faces for receiving the condyles of a distal femur. The prosthesis includes a tibial plateau of polyethylene which is embedded in a metal tibial shank with a plate. The underside of the plate is planar and bears against a resection area of the tibia shaped as a planar endface. On the inside of the plate, in the region of the guide faces, pockets are formed. The pockets follow the curvature of the guide faces in sagittal planes and exhibit at their lowest point a maximum wall thickness of 1.5 mm, while the minimum wall thickness of the tibial plateau resting in the pockets amounts to 6.5 mm.

Abstract: An artificial hip joint socket for fastening to a pelvic bone includes a metallic outer cup for an artificial hipjoint socket forming a concavity for receiving a hip. This cavity terminates at an equatorial edge. Supporting flaps for fastening to said pelvic bone are provided at the equatorial edge of the metallic outer cup. These supporting flaps define holes drilled for bone screws to pass through and as openings for checking the clearance from the bone. The supporting flaps are provided with preset lines of grooves for enabling preferential bending of said flaps along said at least one of said preset lines of grooves to conform said supporting flaps and metallic outer cup to said pelvis. In the preferred embodiment, the preset lines of grooves run exclusively in the region of the supporting flaps undisturbed by defined holes in the flap. The preset lines of grooves are arranged on the outer surface of the flaps toward the pelvis.

Abstract: A finger joint prosthesis, made of metal, has a bearing shell (1) attached to a shaft (2) in the metacarpal and a bearing journal (3) attached to a shaft (5) in the phalange. The bearing journal (3) is designed as a barrel (4), which at right angles to its axis (8) in its center comprises a piece (7) connecting it to its shaft (5). The bearing shell (1) is C-shaped and encloses the barrel (4) with clearance to restrict lateral excursion of the phalange shaft (5), whereas an open area formed by the C-shaped shell restricts the flexion at the connecting piece (7). The C-shaped bearing shell (1) can be forced open when the barrel (4) is inserted because its shaft (2) is divided in the longitudinal direction (13) into two halves (14, 15) by a slit-shaped notch (11) so that the shell and the bearing shell can be engaged by moving them radially towards each other.

Abstract: An artificial knee joint has a convex femoral part (1) and tibial part (2). At the femoral part (1), which has smaller radii of curvature as bending increases, the tibial part (2) performs a rolling and sliding movement, with the femoral part (1) and the tibial part (2) each comprising a lateral guide surface (F.sub.2, F.sub.2 ') and a medial guide surface (F.sub.1, F.sub.1 '). The medial guide surface (F.sub.1 ') of the tibial part (2) forms a flat guide plane, which with different flex angles, abuts cylindrical guide surfaces (F.sub.1) of the femoral part (1) with line contact, while the lateral guide surface (F.sub.2 ') of the tibial part is trapped by the lateral condyle with different bending angles in the frontal plane in the lateral direction by line contact along circular segments having the same radius of curvature (R.sub.3). The value of this same radius of curvature (R.sub.3) lies between the smallest and largest flex radius (R.sub.n) of the lateral condyle in the track (7).