Abstract: The invention relates to an endoprosthesis for replacement of a joint, in which slide surfaces that have different contours and correspondingly define movement planes for bearing are formed by an intermediate part. According to the invention, the intermediate part has a projection, preferably a convex projection, on at least one side face, in order to avoid fibrosis.

Abstract: The invention relates to an insertion instrument for an endoprosthesis (1), which comprises a neck part (12) and a shaft part (10) which is to be inserted into a medullary cavity, comprising a clamping device (2) which is provided with a holding fork (25) and a thrust bearing (26), which are embodied in such a manner that the endoprosthesis (1) is held fixedly in a clamped state and is released in an unclamped state, in addition to a striker device (3). The aim of the invention is to simplify the safe and precise insertion thereof such that a guide rail (23) for a striker element is arranged in a fixed manner on the clamping device (2) and is oriented in such a manner that a path, which is determined by the guide rail, leads to an end face of the endoprosthesis (1) which is held in the clamping device (2).

Abstract: Surgical lever, particularly for lifting the femur from the hip bone. It comprises an actuating handle (5) and an engagement device (6) and is characterized in that a projection (9, 11) dimensioned for support within the depth of the acetabulum is arranged between these two parts (5, 6). For adaptation to the inner surface of the acetabulum, said projection (9, 11) is expediently of a spherical configuration and can be made available with a varying radius.

Abstract: A hip-joint prosthesis includes a shaft which is configured to be inserted into the femur and whose surface has an osteoinductive finish. This finish is provided exclusively in the metaphyseal portion of the shaft and laterally from the line delineating the maximum antero-posterior dimension of the shaft cross section. This ensures a better involvement of the metaphyseal spongiosa in the flow of forces, without compromising the ability to per-form follow-up surgery on the prosthesis.

Abstract: A tool and method for making vertebral incisions which form the lateral surfaces of a ventral opening in a vertebra for receiving a prosthesis that partially replaces the vertebra includes use of a saw jig with fittings configured for attachment to at least one of two vertebrae positioned superiorly and inferiorly adjacent to the vertebra and with guide fittings to provide a cutter guide for the incisions.

Abstract: The invention relates to an endoprosthesis for replacement of a joint, 2 slide surfaces having different contours and correspondingly determining movement planes for in each case 1 bearing being formed by an intermediate part 2. Provision is made according to the invention for a clamping bracket to enclose the slide surfaces of the intermediate part and to be arranged thereon such that it is arranged free from the movement planes defined by the slide surfaces having different contours. It is thus also possible to strengthen endopreostheses which have complex biomechanics having a plurality of degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A knee prosthesis includes a femoral prosthetic part which forms a pair of condylar gliding surfaces, a tibial part that has tibial gliding surfaces cooperating with the condylar gliding surfaces and a coupling part that connects the femoral and tibial parts so that they can rotate about a rotational axis that is approximately parallel to the axis of the tibia. If the femoral and tibial parts have the same anteroposterior alignment, an applied load is borne by a central region of the tibial gliding surfaces. The tibial gliding surface slopes upwardly relative to the prosthesis both in front of and behind the central region of the tibial gliding surface so that when the femoral and tibial parts rotate against one another, each of the condylar gliding surfaces remains in contact with its corresponding tibial gliding surface.

Abstract: A surgical implant or instrument has two parts, one sliding on the other, the lower part being provided with a threaded bore and the upper part being provided with a passage orifice for receiving a fixing screw. The set screw can be received over its entire length beneath the upper part in the threaded bore and includes, at its upper end, a dog point which is thinner than its threaded part and which is provided with a slit, groove or hexagon socket for a screwdriver, the diameter of the passage orifice being smaller than that of the threaded part and larger than that of the dog point. An elastic device is provided for the implant or instrument which pushes the fixing screw into the fixing position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a medical implant from a titanium alloy, by investment-casting the titanium alloy in a casting mold which corresponds to the implant that is to be produced. The invention provides for using a ?-titanium alloy, hot isostatic pressing, solution annealing, and then quenching. The invention also covers a corresponding medical implant which has been produced from a titanium alloy using the investment casting process. The titanium alloy is a ?-titanium alloy and has a mean grain size of at least 0.3 mm. The invention allows economical production of objects from ?-titanium alloys using the investment casting process. The invention thereby makes it possible to combine the advantageous properties of ?-titanium alloys, in particular their excellent mechanical properties, with the advantages of producing objects by the precision casting process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a joint prosthesis having a shaft made from a titanium alloy; according to the invention, it is provided that at least the shaft (10) is investment-cast and has a body-centered cubic crystal structure. A titanium alloy having this crystal structure (known as ?-titanium alloy) has an advantageously low modulus of elasticity which is well matched to the physiological demands. Furthermore, implementation as a shaped casting allows a complex shape to be achieved. It is particularly expediently embodied as a femoral prosthesis (1) for an artificial hip joint, which has an elongate shaft (10) with grooves (14) and sawtooth-like projections (15) for bone anchoring.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for casting objects from a ?-titanium alloy comprising titanium-molybdenum with a molybdenum content of from 7.5 to 25%. The invention provides for melting the alloy at a temperature of over 1770° C., investment-casting the molten alloy into a casting mold corresponding to the object to be produced, hot isostatic pressing, solution annealing and then quenching. The process according to the invention provides economic production of objects made from ?-titanium alloys using the investment-casting process. The invention thereby provides the possibility of combining the advantageous properties of ?-titanium alloys, in particular their excellent mechanical properties, such as the low modulus of elasticity, with the advantages of producing castings using the investment-casting process. The invention means that even objects of complex shapes, which it was impossible to produce (economically) by conventional forging processes can be produced from a ?-titanium alloy.

Abstract: An instrument for inserting a pair of sliding prostheses includes a supporting plate, two clamps adjustable through a spacing range, and two vertically adjustable sliding-surface bearing supports configured to support the sliding prostheses in the area of the sliding surfaces on the supports. Each of the clamps is configured to receive one of the pair of sliding prostheses and has clamping jaws configured to interact with the side edges of the corresponding sliding prostheses. The supporting plate has a slide guide formed thereon and an adjustment spindle for at least one of the two clamps. The sliding-surface bearing supports are configured in fixed positions on the supporting plate and having a width which corresponds to the adjustable spacing range of the clamps and is large enough to support the sliding prostheses in any chosen spacing.

Abstract: Hip-joint prosthesis with a stem (12) which is to be inserted into the femur and which comprises a part (13) projecting into the trochanteric region (4) of the bone. For the purpose of more intimate contact with the bone, this part (13) is provided with a coating (16) which contains an osteoinductive substance.

Abstract: A surgical implant or instrument has two parts, one sliding on the other, the lower part being provided with a threaded bore and the upper part being provided with a passage orifice for receiving a fixing screw. The set screw can be received over its entire length beneath the upper part in the threaded bore and includes, at its upper end, a dog point which is thinner than its threaded part and which is provided with a slit, groove or hexagon socket for a screwdriver, the diameter of the passage orifice being smaller than that of the threaded part and larger than that of the dog point. An elastic device is provided for the implant or instrument which pushes the fixing screw into the fixing position.

Abstract: Medical implant with a secured bone screw (4) which is guided through a bore (3) of the implant (1, 2). The bore (3) has a thread matching the thread of the screw. Between its head and head (6) and the thread (5), there is an unthreaded portion (10) whose diameter is not greater than the free diameter of the threaded bore (3). These threads prevent an axial passage of the screw through the bore without turning. Turning is inhibited or excluded by an arrangement (15, 16) preventing turning.

Abstract: Insertion instrument for a pair of sliding prostheses, said instrument having, on a support plate (2), two clamps (4) which are arranged at a predetermined spacing from one another and receive the sliding prostheses (5). The clamps (4) are connected to the support plate (2) via a releasable coupling (13, 15). This coupling is provided in any position in the LM direction, i.e. the clamps (4) can adopt different positions in the LM direction. They are clamped securely in the respectively chosen position by a fixing means.

Abstract: An endoprosthesis for replacement of the ankle joint includes a component which is to be connected to the anklebone and which forms an upper slide surface a component which is to be connected to the tibia and which forms a lower slide surface, and a middle part. The middle part forms two slide surfaces which interact with slide surfaces on the tibial component and the anklebone component. In frontal section, the middle part is wedge-shaped with a wedge angle of between 1° and 12°.

Abstract: Instrument set for fitting an intervertebral prosthesis, comprising a guide device (4) for an instrument or a prosthesis part, which guide device (4) is to be secured on at least one vertebral body (2). To be able to attach the guide device (4) precisely on the vertebral bodies despite the difficult operating conditions, an adjustment instrument (10) is provided which positions the guide device when this is being arranged on the vertebral body (2). This adjustment instrument (10) expediently comprises an intervertebral plate (11) which is fitted into the intervertebral space so as to be positioned exactly in relation to the vertebral bodies.

Abstract: Hip-joint prosthesis with a stem (12) which is to be inserted into the femur and which comprises a part (13) projecting into the trochanteric region (4) of the bone. For the purpose of more intimate contact with the bone, this part (13) is provided with a coating (16) which contains an osteoinductive substance.

Abstract: A knee prosthesis system includes a single-piece tibia plateau with two sliding cavities, a single-piece femur component with two condylar sliding surfaces, the distances between and shapes of which are adapted to the tibial sliding cavities and a pair of unconnected femoral condylar cups, the shapes of the sliding surfaces of which are adapted to the tibial sliding cavities. To be able also to adapt their relative positions, including their distances apart, to the sliding cavities, the system includes a position instrument which ensures this adapted relative position of the codylar cups.