Patents Assigned to Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
  • Patent number: 6755864
    Abstract: A tibia part for a knee joint prosthesis. The prosthesis includes a tibia bearing surface for the support of a bearing body and a bore for the reception of a guiding element. A cut-out for the rear cruciate ligament is provided in the tibia bearing surface and the bore is formed in such a manner that it can, depending on the design of the guiding element, receive the latter either rotationally fixedly relative to the tibia part or rotatably relative to the tibia part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: René Brack, Roger Scherrer, Vincent Leclercq
  • Patent number: 6702816
    Abstract: The invention describes a femur marrow nail for insertion between the condylii of a knee joint having an anchoring (4) in the region of the nail tip (3), having a curvature (6) extending in the sagittal plane (5) and having a straight end piece (7) which has fastening bores (12, 13) with axes B, C for its fastening. At least two fastening bores (12, 13) with axes B and C cross the longitudinal axis X of the end piece (7) at a spacing X2, X3 less than 70 millimeters from the end (8) of the end piece (7), and with their axes B and C penetrating a plane (10) which includes the end (8) and is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X at a distance r from the X axis in a region of 10 mm≦r≦116 mm in order to grip hard bone zones with fastening screws (15, 16) in the region of the condylii.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventor: Daniel W. Bühler
  • Patent number: 6669734
    Abstract: In the figures, proximal centering apparatuses (4) for collar-less femur shaft prosthesis (1) which can be cemented in and which can be pushed from the medial onto the shaft (3) in the cemented region are shown. The centering apparatus (4) has at least in the medial region a centering wedge (6) which widens towards the proximal and which is connected via webs (7) to a clamping apparatus (8), with the clamping apparatus (8) being arranged in the cement-less region of the prosthesis neck (2) and being removable when the webs (7) are interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Spotorno, Werner Güttinger
  • Patent number: 6659997
    Abstract: An operating tool (1, 1a) for use in the operating room comprises a grip part (2, 2a) and a tool part (3, 3a) which is firmly connected to this grip part (2, 2a), with the connection of the grip part (2, 2a) and the tool part (3, 3a) being formed as a releasable connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventor: Simon Casutt
  • Patent number: 6648896
    Abstract: Spreader apparatuses for knee joints are shown which have two parallel support plates (2, 3) which can be inserted between the femur condyles (4, 5) and the tibia (6) and which can be moved apart in connected form by an adjustment mechanism (10). The adjustment mechanism (10) has a housing (10) at which a stroke-extending tappet (17) is supported via an elastically resilient transmission member (7) in order to simultaneously make the effective spreading travel readable on a scale (8) at the housing (1) and the amount of the spreading force readable on a scale (9) at the housing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom Overes, Bernhard Gyssler
  • Patent number: 6645248
    Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial intervertebral disc for implanting between two vertebral bodies (W) comprising two end plates (1, 2) which bound a hollow space (4), which is filled with an elastically and/or plastically deformable nucleus (3), at two opposite sides, with the hollow space (4) being enclosed by a tubular fiber ring (5) such that the end plates (1, 2), together with the fiber ring (5), bound the hollow space (4) and the end plates (1, 2) are in tensile connection with the fiber ring (5). The fiber ring (5) is designed as elastically extensible in the radial and axial directions, with the fiber ring (5) having a larger modulus of elasticity than the nucleus (3) and the nucleus (3) and the fiber ring (5) interacting such that the elastic properties of the artificial intervertebral disc show a non-linear behavior with increasing deformation at least with respect to a compression force (F).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventor: Simon Casutt
  • Patent number: 6629976
    Abstract: A marrow nail for the distal region of a radius bone. The marrow nail has a radius of curvature R between 100 and 1000 mm in order that it can be introduced adjacently to the distal articular surfaces of the radius bone, and an inclined transverse bore which crosses the marrow nail at a distance of less than 30 mm ahead of its end in order also to grasp bone fragments of fractures which extend transversely through the distal bearing surface. The end of the marrow nail is formed as a securing head for an aiming device for transverse bores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Gnos, Kamel Guelmi
  • Patent number: 6626943
    Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial intervertebral disc for implantation between two vertebral bodies (W) comprising two end plates (1, 2) and an elastically deformable disc (3) pre-stressed between the end plates (1, 2) in the axial direction, with the disc (3) lying within a tubular, elastically deformable, fibre ring (4) and the end plates (1, 2) being in tensile communication with the fibre ring (4). The disc (3) has a contact surface (5, 6) which enlarges with a compression of the artificial intervertebral disc and which adjoins one of the end plates (1, 2) so that the elastic properties of the artificial intervertebral disc show a non-linear behaviour with increasing deformation at least with respect to a compression force (F).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Eberlein, Simon Casutt, Markus Fröhlich
  • Patent number: 6616667
    Abstract: The surgical instrument for tensioning a cable-like, a band-like or a cord-like tensioning element (5) comprises a manually actuatable lever system. Two levers (1, 2)—the first and the second actuation lever—are jointedly connected by a third lever (3). In a basic position of the system the tensioning element can be laid into a laying-in opening (15) of the first lever and into a clamping gap (32) at the second and at the third lever. One of the actuation levers (2) is formed in one section as a beam (20′, 21′) which is elastic in bending. The extent of a shape change of the beam can be measured. A relationship between this shape change and a tension in the tensioning element is known. The tension can be set as a result of this knowledge and of a measurement (209, 211; 8) of the shape change, or a means a tension monitor or sensor, serving for the same purpose is provided for determining a torque which acts at the corresponding actuation lever (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Marco Steiger, Hermann Breimesser, Simon Casutt, Reto Braunschweiler
  • Patent number: 6595999
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drilling jig for the determination of the axis of a femur head prosthesis. A guide tube (6), around whose longitudinal axis (14) a sensing probe can be rotated, has a rounded head (7) which is supported in a housing (3) pivotable in all directions and fixable by first clamping elements (5), in order to fix its longitudinal axis in a desired angle. The housing (3) is displaceable in all directions transversely to its longitudinal axis with respect to a base part (1) which can be anchored to the femur head (10) and fixable by two clamping elements (4) in order to define the position of the longitudinal axis (14) of the guide tube (6) by rotation of a sensing probe around this longitudinal axis (14) relative to the cross-section of the femur neck (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Andreas Marchione, Thomas Willi, Heinrich Stutz
  • Patent number: 6558427
    Abstract: A knee prosthesis has a medial condyle (1) and a lateral condyle (5), the running surfaces (2) of which and the counter-surfaces A, B of which that lie on a tibia platform (3) are sections of spherical surfaces with radii R1, R2, with their center M1′ and M2′ forming in their vertical projection onto the counter-surfaces A, B the points M1, M2. The lateral counter-surface B belongs to a lateral meniscus part (7) which, guided on a plane (13) of the tibia platform, is pivotal with the point M2 on a circular arc with radius R3 about the point M1, with the radius R3 corresponding to the distance a of the centers M1′, M2′.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Vincent Leclercq, Bernhard Gyssler
  • Patent number: 6558388
    Abstract: With the invention a intramedullary nail preferably for the humerus is shown which comprises a securing head for a hammering-in and aiming device, with the intramedullary nail having at least one transverse bore (2) adjoining at the securing head (1), and which comprises an entry tip in the vicinity of which anchoring elements can be extended radially. The anchoring elements are combined in a claw (5) of curved wires (6), with the wires being elastically deformed inside the intramedullary nail in a not outwardly moved state and springing out radially with an axial forwarding of the claw and assuming their original curved shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Eric Bartsch, Maja Bürgi
  • Patent number: 6554866
    Abstract: A mono-condylar knee joint prosthesis that includes a femur part having a convex running surface. The knee joint prosthesis further includes a tibia part having a sliding surface which faces the femur part and an intermediate part which is introduced between the femur part and the tibia part during implantation. The intermediate part has two bearing surfaces, namely a first, concave bearing surface for cooperating with the convex running surface of the femur part as well as a second bearing surface for cooperating with the sliding surface of the tibia part. A boundary surface is provided at the tibia part which bounds the sliding surface of the tibia part and projects pointing in the direction towards the femur part in order to be able to cooperate with a side surface of the intermediate part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Martin Aicher, Vincent Leclercq, Bernhard G Gyssler
  • Patent number: 6547789
    Abstract: A holding apparatus for the vertebra of a spinal column. It furthermore has a mount for a bar which is provided at the side of the holding apparatus which faces away from a clamping screw. The clamping screw of the holding apparatus produces a rigid connection of the holding apparatus to the bar which is located in the mount. The apparatus retains the bar in the mount and can be brought into connection with the holding apparatus so as to temporarily retain in the mount a bar which is introduced into the mount until the holding apparatus is fixed to the bar by way of a rigid connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Carlo Ventre, Cosimo Donno, Armin Studer, Onur Adali, André Lobsiger, Daniel Hug, Raffael Berani, Daniel Ambühl
  • Patent number: 6544272
    Abstract: A tissue holder (1, 1a) has a first connector (2, 2a) which can be connected to a tissue part and a second connector (3, 3a) which can be connected to a further tissue part. The tissue holder further holds the two connectors (2, 2a; 3, 3a) and thus the tissue parts relative to one another. The first and second connectors (2, 2a; 3, 3a) each have at least one curved spike (21, 22, 21a, 22a; 31, 32, 31a, 32a) which extends around the longitudinal axis of the tissue holder (1, 1a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland P. Jakob, Werner Müller, Heribert Frei
  • Patent number: 6540746
    Abstract: A bone plate for the splinting of a fracture at a bone with a plurality of bone screws. An elastic cushion is provided between the bone screws and the bone plate in the direction towards the fracture. The screw head penetrates through the bone plate completely and lies on the bone with a contact surface under a bias force. A ring body is molded onto the elastic cushion and can be mounted at the lower side of the bone plate. The ring body and the contact surface of the screw head both project beyond the lower side of the bone plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Bühler, Hans K. Uhthoff, David S. Backman
  • Patent number: 6533791
    Abstract: An instrument system for the operative correction of vertebral displacements and for the stabilizing of repositioned vertebral bodies is described which is characterized by correction and support devices which are formed in two parts and which are displaceable in the axial direction guided relative to one another by means of an integrated setting member, as well as by interim spacers which are adapted in their spacer dimensions to the respective correction and support devices and by perforated hollow cylinder implants which are provided with outwardly lying fixing members and which are replaceable by the correction and support devices in repositioned vertebral bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Augustin Betz, Jürgen Klein, Helmut Oexle, Lutz Todt
  • Patent number: 6530928
    Abstract: An instrument (2, 3) for the introduction of an osteochondral transplant (P) which is removed form a harvest location, or of an implant which is correspondingly prepared in vitro at an implantation location, has a passage (201, 301) in which the transplant is received and a piston (31) for the pressing out of the transplant (P) from the distal end of the passage into a depression which is prepared at the implantation location. A space for the reception of a buffer medium (F) with a high conformability and an elasticity which is dimensioned in such a manner that no bodily contact between the piston (31) and the transplant (P) or the implant respectively exists during the pressing out of the transplant (P) is provided between the end surface (311) of the piston (31) facing the transplant (P) and the surface of the transplant (P) facing the piston (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Heribert Frei, Daniel Roder, Roland P. Jakob
  • Patent number: 6527805
    Abstract: An intervertebral implant (1) with a hollow cylindrical shape is provided with an outer thread (2) for screwing the implant into the intermediate space between two adjacent vertebrae. The implant (1) is provided with openings (3) in its wall through which bone can grow into the implant (1), with the implant (1) being manufactured of a material which is transparent for X-rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics LTD
    Inventors: Armin Studer, Silvio Rudolf Schaffner, Albert Maria Vodermayer, Gudrun Grimberg, Jens Christian Kärger, Hans Erlach
  • Patent number: 6520966
    Abstract: A setting instrument for a tibia part (1) of a knee joint prosthesis comprises a separate attachment piece (2) for the securing at the tibia part (1) and comprises a hand piece (3) which can be brought firmly into engagement with the separate attachment piece (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sulzer Orthopedics Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Kohler, Thomas Trachsler, Wolfgang Schwägerl, Nikolaus Böhler