Patents Assigned to Zimmer Technology, Inc.
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Publication number: 20080027559Abstract: A variable stiffness stem component for intramedullary fixation in total joint replacement implants or in a segmental replacement system. The stem component has a shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal length therebetween. The diameter of the shaft is approximately constant along the longitudinal length. A taper or threaded connection may be provided adjacent the proximal end of the shaft for assembly to another implant component. At least three flutes are disposed in a portion of the length of the shaft from intermediate the proximal and distal ends extending towards the distal end. The flutes increase in one of width or depth, or a combination thereof, towards the distal end to provide variable stiffness.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2006Publication date: January 31, 2008Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Roy Crowninshield, Douglas Wentz, Alex P. Stoller
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Publication number: 20080027451Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating shoulder arthroplasty by providing a reference to establish version of the glenoid. In one form of the invention, a guide for positioning a guide pin to facilitate implantation of a glenoid prosthesis is provided. To properly position the guide pin, the guide is first oriented with respect to the scapula. A portion of the guide is positioned over the approximate center of the glenoid surface and another portion of the guide is positioned against the anterior surface of the scapula. After the guide is properly positioned, the guide pin is inserted through an aperture in the guide and anchored in the glenoid. Thereafter, the guide pin can serve as an alignment guide for other devices used to modify the glenoid surface. For example, a reamer having a cannulated central shaft can be placed over the guide pin and utilized to resurface the glenoid.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2007Publication date: January 31, 2008Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Robert Zink, Roy Wiley, Gregory Nicholson, Michael Pearl
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Publication number: 20080027563Abstract: A modular knee system having various distal posterior femoral components that are interchangeable with each other and with various patellar-femoral joint components. Preferably, the modular knee system has a variety of components that are interchangeable and connectable to resurface the distal femur using either a unicompartmental femoral knee prosthesis or a bicompartmental femoral knee prosthesis. These components include a medial distal posterior femoral component, a lateral distal posterior femoral component, a patellar-femoral joint component, and an interconnection mechanism to modularly connect the components together.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2007Publication date: January 31, 2008Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Erin Johnson, Joseph Saladino
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Publication number: 20080021567Abstract: A case for modular neck components for hip implants. The case may include indicators based on independent variables associated with physical characteristics of the implant, including leg length, offset, and anteversion. During surgery, the surgeon may be confronted with a need to change a preoperatively-chosen modular neck. For example, the surgeon may desire a change in at least one of the variables, e.g., leg length, offset, and/or anteversion. The case allows the surgeon to quickly and easily select a different modular neck based on an evaluation of one of the variables without requiring reevaluation of the other variables. A method described herein may include preoperative planning in which a template including a grid coordinate system is used, which advantageously provides an intuitive system for the surgeon both preoperatively and during surgery.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2006Publication date: January 24, 2008Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Steven L. Meulink, Ryan D. Schlotterback, Barish Banerjee, Stephen J. Vankoski
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Patent number: 7320404Abstract: A medical package is provided for protecting a medical item.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2005Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventor: Larry R. Landis
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Patent number: 7316687Abstract: A blade plate, as well as instruments and methods for securing the blade plate to a bone to reduce a bone fracture. The blade plate includes a plate portion and a blade portion extending at an angle relative to the plate portion. The plate portion includes a plurality of holes for receipt of bone screws for securing the blade plate to the bone about the bone fracture. A strut screw, inserted through a hole in the plate portion, spans the angle between the plate and blade portions, and threadingly engages a hole in the blade portion to slightly draw the plate and blade portions together to compress and support the bone fracture. A pair of top screws are inserted through holes in the plate portion at angles with respect to the strut screw on either side of the strut screw. Additionally, the blade plate is designed to closely conform to the surface of the bone to minimize the gap between the bone and the blade plate.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2001Date of Patent: January 8, 2008Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jerry L. Aikins, George Brian Cornwall, Raymond Desjardins, Paul Duwelius, James Goulet, David Templeman, John E. Meyers, Scott A. Moon, Gregory G. Price, Patrick Rousseau, Roy Wiley, Robert A. Winquist
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Publication number: 20070288029Abstract: A milling system for use in resecting at least a portion of a joint articulation surface of a bone includes an alignment guide having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface with an opening extending therebetween. Fasteners are used to secure the alignment guide to the bone so that the alignment guide is suspended above the bone. A template is removably mounted to the alignment guide so that a plurality of guide paths extending through template are aligned with the opening in the alignment guide. A mill extends down through the guide path and has a burr on the end thereof for resecting the bone.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2007Publication date: December 13, 2007Applicants: MedicineLodge, Inc., Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Justin, Robert Hodorek, E. Goble, Carlyle Creger
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Patent number: 7297164Abstract: A modular prosthetic knee system used to replace the natural knee. The system includes a femoral knee prosthesis and a tibial knee prosthesis. Both prostheses are formed of modular components that are connectable in-vivo to form the prosthetic knee system. The femoral knee prosthesis includes two separate components, a lateral condyle and medial condyle; and the tibial knee prosthesis includes a multiple separate components, a medial baseplate, a lateral baseplate, a medial insert, and a lateral insert. The medial and lateral baseplate are connectable to form a complete baseplate with the medial and lateral inserts connectable to the complete baseplate.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2005Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventors: Erin M. Johnson, Joseph Saladino
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Patent number: 7294133Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating shoulder arthroplasty by providing a reference to establish version of the glenoid. In one form of the invention, a guide for positioning a guide pin to facilitate implantation of a glenoid prosthesis is provided. To properly position the guide pin, the guide is first oriented with respect to the scapula. A portion of the guide is positioned over the approximate center of the glenoid surface and another portion of the guide is positioned against the anterior surface of the scapula. After the guide is properly positioned, the guide pin is inserted through an aperture in the guide and anchored in the glenoid. Thereafter, the guide pin can serve as an alignment guide for other devices used to modify the glenoid surface. For example, a reamer having a cannulated central shaft can be placed over the guide pin and utilized to resurface the glenoid.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2005Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventors: Robert W. Zink, Roy C. Wiley, Gregory P. Nicholson, Michael Pearl
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Patent number: 7291169Abstract: A cartilage implant for replacing a portion of the cartilage adjacent to a skeletal joint is presented.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2005Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventor: Robert A. Hodorek
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Publication number: 20070255288Abstract: Methods for predetermining a contour of a resected bone surface and assessing a fit of a prosthesis on the resected bone surface, for designing prostheses to fit discrete patient populations, and for designing customized prostheses.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2007Publication date: November 1, 2007Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Mohamed Mahfouz, Brian Earl
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Patent number: 7288115Abstract: The present invention provides an implant for replacing an articulating bone end adjacent a skeletal joint. The implant includes individual subcomponents having different physical and/or mechanical properties joined together into a multipart implant component.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2004Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventor: Michael E. Hawkins
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Patent number: 7282054Abstract: The present invention provides a cut block for cutting the femur and tibia during knee replacement surgery.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2003Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventors: Scott J. Steffensmeier, Adam H. Sanford
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Publication number: 20070219559Abstract: Instruments for use in resecting, reshaping, and preparing the end of a bone to receive an implant. The instruments may be equipped with indicator devices in the form of light-emitting devices to project an indicator onto the bone. Examples of such instruments may be a cut guide equipped with a built-in cut plane indicator device and a cut plane indicator device for use with existing cut guides. The cut plane indicator device may provide a visual indication or cue on a surface of the bone indicating where the cut plane of the cut guide will intersect the bone.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2007Publication date: September 20, 2007Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jackson R. Heavener, Shawn E. McGinley, James S. Collins, Kathleen J. Radford, James E. Grimm
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Publication number: 20070219641Abstract: Prosthetic hip stems and acetabular cups for use in prosthetic hip joints. The hip stem may include a core having a stem portion and a neck portion, a polymer matrix layer substantially covering the stem portion of the core, and a porous metal layer substantially covering the polymer matrix layer. The polymer matrix layer connects the core and the porous metal layer and provides a stiffness for the hip stem which more closely mimics the stiffness of bone than do known hip stems. The hip stems and acetabular cups additionally include a number of improvements adapted for more optimized results with certain types of patient anatomy, such as the anatomy of female patients, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2007Publication date: September 20, 2007Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Lawrence D. Dorr, Aaron Rosenberg, Wayne G. Paprosky
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Publication number: 20070213833Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty. The apparatus may include a provisional femoral head allowing for radial placement thereof on a provisional femoral neck.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2007Publication date: September 13, 2007Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Dana Mears, Kevin Greig, Paul Zwirkoski
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Publication number: 20070173945Abstract: An implant system for total shoulder arthroplasties, hemi shoulder arthroplasties, and “reverse” total shoulder arthroplasties including a humeral stem having an enlarged head portion with interfaces adapted to removably receive various modular interchangeable components, such as articulating liners, spacers, and adapter inserts. The humeral stem functions as a universal platform that may be used in either conventional or “reverse” total shoulder arthroplasties, as well as hemi shoulder arthroplasties, and may remain implanted in place during a revision in which the implant system is converted between the foregoing configurations, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2007Publication date: July 26, 2007Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Roy Wiley, Brian Hodorek
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Publication number: 20070162145Abstract: Modular bone implants, means of assembly, and their method of use are presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2007Publication date: July 12, 2007Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Daniel Justin, E. Goble, Thomas Fallin, Nathan Hammond, Daniel Triplett, Robert Hodorek, Daniel Gerbec, Gordon Baker
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Publication number: 20070162015Abstract: An orthopaedic bone plate is coupled to a bone having an enlarged head at one end thereof which is attached to a shaft. The bone plate includes an elongate portion, a flared portion and an intermediate portion. The elongate portion is attachable to the bone shaft using a plurality of bone screws. The elongate portion generally defines a longitudinal axis. The flared portion is attachable to the bone head using at least one bone screw. The intermediate portion interconnects the elongate portion and the flared portion. The intermediate portion is structured and arranged to allow the elongate portion and the flared portion to move relative to each other in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis when the elongate portion and the flared portion are attached to the bone.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2006Publication date: July 12, 2007Applicant: ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Robert Winquist, Steve Benirschke, Paul Duwelius, James Goulet, Raymond Desjardins, David Templeman, John Meyers, Stanley Patterson, Gregory Price
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Patent number: 7235080Abstract: A femoral reference tibial cut guide for cutting the proximal tibia to receive a tibial implant. The cut guide references the femur to determine the appropriate tibial resection.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2003Date of Patent: June 26, 2007Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.Inventor: Robert A. Hodorek