Patents Examined by Diana S Jones
  • Patent number: 8968322
    Abstract: A method of repairing a fractured articular bone at a fracture site has the steps of mixing a bone glue, inserting an expandable balloon into the fracture site, inflating the expandable balloon at the fracture site, applying the bone glue to the fracture site while the expandable balloon is inflated, curing the bone glue at the fracture site while the expandable balloon is inflated, deflating the expandable balloon after the bone glue has cured, and removing the deflated expandable balloon from the fracture site and from the articular bone. The bone glue combines a biologically dissolvable glue with an actual or artificial particulate bone graft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Marcos V. Masson
  • Patent number: 8956414
    Abstract: Interbody implant systems and methods of implant interbody implants are described. In one aspect, an implant includes a body have a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and a first articulation surface formed at a proximal end of the proximal end portion, An insertion instrument includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; and a second articulation surface formed at a distal end of the distal end portion. The second articulation surface is configured to interface with the first articulation surface. An attachment member is configured to connect the implant to the insertion instrument. The attachment member is actuatable to compress the first and second articulation surfaces together in a locked configuration with sufficient force to prevent relative rotation between the first and second articulation surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: SpineCraft, LLC
    Inventor: Wagdy W. Asaad
  • Patent number: 8940050
    Abstract: A flexible implant system for positioning a flexible spacer between adjacent vertebrae including and interbody spacer and an insertion instrument. The interbody spacer including a central axis, a lateral axis, a top surface positioned generally parallel to the central axis and a plurality of hinge sections extending generally perpendicular to the central axis. A plurality of notches making up the plurality of hinge sections adjacent the top surface that permit the interbody spacer to flex. The interbody spacer further including a groove extending along a lateral side surface, generally parallel to the central axis. An insertion instrument includes a proximal end, a distal end and a tongue extending from the proximal end to the distal end along a non-linear path. The groove slidably engages the tongue to guide the interbody spacer from the proximal end to the distal end along the non-linear path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, LLC
    Inventors: Lawton Laurence, Wamis Singhatat
  • Patent number: 8936641
    Abstract: An expandable intervertebral implant (20) is provided for insertion into an intervertebral space defined by adjacent vertebrae. The expandable intervertebral implant includes a pair of outer sleeve portions (30A, 30B) and an inner core (50) disposed between the outer sleeve portions. Movement of the inner core relative to the outer sleeve portions causes the outers sleeve portions to deflect away from each other, thereby engaging the expandable intervertebral implant with the vertebrae and adjusting the height of the intervertebral space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Marden John Cain
  • Patent number: 8920423
    Abstract: A bone harvesting device is disclosed as including a drill body for drilling into bone, the drill body being rotatable about its central longitudinal axis, and a saw pivotable relative to the drill body about a pivoting axis parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the drill body, the drill body including a cavity which opens at a lower open longitudinal end of the drill body, and the saw being pivotable relative to the drill body between a first position in which the saw is clear of the lower open longitudinal end of the drill body and a second position in which the saw blocks part of the lower open longitudinal end of the drill body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Inventor: Benjamino Kah Hung Lee
  • Patent number: 8915919
    Abstract: A bone rifling system for use in prosthesis, which allows improved prosthetic bone fixation. The system comprises orthopedic undercut reamer, which can cut controlled internal groove circles or spiral grooves on the internal surface of host bone. The system converts the commonly reamed smooth bone to grooved or rifled bony tube. Used together with bone cements, the bone rifling system ensures prosthetic bone fixation by significantly increasing the pull out strength, and decreasing the rate of clinical loosening and failure of replacement joints. Also disclosed is a method for preparing a bone for a prosthesis using such a bone rifling system to cut grooves in a host bone for increased prosthetic bone fixation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Orthorifling Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Martin M. Malawer
  • Patent number: 8911446
    Abstract: A jig for a bone fixation device, including those that comprise a guide; and a connecting element reversibly engagable with the bone fixation device; wherein the guide defines a non-rectilinear path and is adapted to receive the connecting element; and wherein the connecting element is remotely operable, and is adapted to permit a tool to be engaged with the bone fixation device. Other embodiments of the present invention include methods for placing a bone fixation device in a bone, using a jig of the present invention comprising the step of reversibly engaging the bone fixation device with the jig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sota Orthopaedics Limited
    Inventors: Brian Thornes, Ross McDonald
  • Patent number: 8894569
    Abstract: An intubation system of the present disclosure intubates based on an airway pattern indicating a trachea opening. The airway pattern is determined from analysis of airway data detected by a trachea identifying device disposed on a moveable guide stylet of the intubation system. A navigation element is generated based on the airway pattern. In one embodiment, the airway pattern is a gas exchange pattern indicating a trachea opening. In another embodiment, the trachea opening transition pattern is a topographic pattern indicating a trachea opening. The guide stylet is capable of moving in a plurality of degrees of freedom in the airway following the guidance from the navigation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: Chunyuan Qiu
  • Patent number: 8882777
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Zimmer Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jackson R. Heavener, Shawn E. McGinley, James S. Collins, Kathleen J. Radford, James E. Grimm
  • Patent number: 8882773
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of creating a bone tunnel during ligament reconstruction surgery. The method includes placing a guide wire through the femur, the guide wire having a first end portion including a pointed tip and a second end portion; placing a drill mechanism over the first end portion of the guide wire, the drill mechanism having a first end portion including a drill bit and a second end portion including an attachment portion; coupling an adaptor assembly to the attachment portion, the adaptor assembly including a shaft; coupling a drill to the shaft and operating the drill to create a tunnel in the femur; coupling a drill bit assembly to the second end portion of the guide wire and locating the assembly against the drill bit of the attachment portion; and operating the drill to create a counter bore within the tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard J. Bourque, Michael C. Ferragamo, Ben K. Graf, William Davis
  • Patent number: 8876859
    Abstract: A blepharoplasty device includes a handle member, an elongate, curved first jaw member coupled to the handle member and having a first tissue contacting surface, and an elongate, curved second jaw member coupled to the handle member and having a second tissue contacting surface. The first and second jaw members are moveable relative to one another between a closed position and an open position to capture eyelid tissue and facilitate the cutting and subsequent reattachment of the eyelid tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Inventors: Patricia Buehler, Matthew W. Hoskins
  • Patent number: 8876832
    Abstract: An ultrasonic handpiece is used for augmenting a bone screw. The handpieces comprise a housing, an ultrasonic converter shiftingly accommodated in the housing, and a sonotrode connected to one end of the ultrasonic converter. The sonotrode protrudes from the housing into the bone screw. An adjuster wheel is adjustably connected to the housing. A spring is provided the ends of which are supported by the ultrasonic converter and the adjuster wheel, respectively. The ultrasonic converter is preloaded in the direction away from the adjuster wheel by setting the adjuster wheel, thereby the sonotrode is urged with a selected force into the bone screw and the augmentation material is pressed out of the bone screw and into the bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Stryker Trauma GmbH, Woodwelding AG
    Inventors: Klaus Dorawa, Manuel Schwager, Marcel Aeschlimann, Philipp Seiler
  • Patent number: 8870884
    Abstract: A method for repairing a soft tissue or bone defect can include selecting one of a plurality of sizing guides having a base perimeter size corresponding to a size of the defect, where each base has a different perimeter size and a plurality of apertures spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other, with the predetermined distance being the same for each of the sizing guides. The selected sizing guide base can be positioned against a distal end of the femur relative to the defect. A plurality of guide wires can be positioned through the plurality of apertures in the sizing guide base and the guide wires can be fixed to the femur such that the guide wires are parallel to each other. A first guide can be positioned over the guide wires and against the distal end of the femur to guide a first cutting member relative to the femur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Brian K. Berelsman, William Maxson
  • Patent number: 8864765
    Abstract: A hip implant assembly including a ball and stem. An annular rim separates the ball from the stem and abuts over an exterior reconditioned surface of the femur upon inserting the stem within an interior femur passageway. A cup shaped support seats the ball in articulating fashion via a ligament which extends from the ball and is received within a recess passageway of the cup. The cup includes a mounting surface with a central projecting portion which in turn resistively fits within an undercut recess formed in the ilium bone in communication with a base surface of the reconditioned acetabulum socket. An installation kit assists the preparation of the femur and ilium bones, as well as the installation of the implant body into the conditioned femur end and the cup outer socket support to a reconditioned acetabulum defined in the ilium bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Linares Medical Devices, LLC
    Inventor: Miguel A. Linares
  • Patent number: 8864773
    Abstract: The present application is directed to devices and methods for treating vertebral fractures with one or more bone pins. In one embodiment of a method, a fractured vertebral body may be accessed through a pedicle portion and an opening may be created therethrough. One or more bone pins may be inserted through the opening. In one embodiment, at least one of the inserted bone pins is inserted to extend across a fracture zone with a proximal portion of the pin engaging a first bone segment and a distal portion engaging a second bone segment. The pin or pins may be manipulated to immobilize the first and second portions of the fractured vertebra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Paul, Sean Suh
  • Patent number: 8858558
    Abstract: A hip implant assembly including body exhibiting a substantially spherical shaped ball and an elongated stem. An annular defining rim separates the ball from the stem and abuts, in a maximum inserting condition, an exterior surface of a reconditioned femur upon inserting the stem within an interior passageway associated with the femur. A three dimensional and interior volume defining support secures around the ball in a universally articulating permitting fashion, the support being fixed to a reconditioned acetabulum socket associated with an ilium bone by interconnecting posts and anchors established between the fixed support and the reconditioned surface of the acetabulum. A corresponding installation kit assists the preparation of the femur and ilium bones defining the hip joint, as well as the installation of the implant body into the upper conditioned femur end and the outer socket support to a reconditioned acetabulum defined in the ilium bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Linares Medical Devices, LLC
    Inventor: Miguel A. Linares
  • Patent number: 8845691
    Abstract: An osseous anchoring implant, various embodiments of which comprise an osseous anchor and a head bearing fixation structure capable of receiving and fixing at least one bar, the head of the implant being traversed by at least one duct, which receives the bar through a lateral aperture, and by a threaded channel, whose axis is not parallel to the axis of the duct, which receives a fixation screw of the bar, the implant being characterized in that it comprises fixation structure of the head on the part of the implant which extends from the osseous anchor, these fixation structures allowing, prior to blocking and fixing, at least a determined mobility of the head around at least one axis not parallel to the axis of symmetry of the osseous anchor. The fixation screw of the bar may comprise a ball and socket at its base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: LDR Medical
    Inventors: Christian Renaud, Gerard Castera
  • Patent number: 8840648
    Abstract: A spinal cage is provided to be implanted in an intervertebral disc space. The spinal cage includes a first segment and a second segment movably connected with each other. The first segment is slidable with respect to the second segment, so as to elongate the spinal cage from a retracted state to an extended state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yang-Hwei Tsuang, Chang Jung Chiang, Shan-Chang Chueh, Chun-Jen Liao, Chung-Nun Chen, Ya-Jen Yu
  • Patent number: 8828063
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to fixation plates for use in correcting Hallux Valgus deformities under the Lapidus approach. The plate includes holes defined therethrough in such a way to facilitate multiplanar stability across the metatarsocuneiform joint. The plate is further sized and shaped to approximate the natural anatomic contour of the bone segments surrounding the metatarsocuneiform joint. Related methods for using the Lapidus approach to correct Hallux Valgus deformities are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Amei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal Blitz, Michael George
  • Patent number: 8828083
    Abstract: A prosthesis comprises having two portions independent of each other, a first portion and a second portion, at least one of which includes an articular surface, said first portion and said second portion each comprising a circular seat delimited by an arched wall. An element of the prosthesis is an O-ring in an elastically deformable material, and one of said seats is dimensioned to receive a radially outer portion of this ring while the other seat is dimensioned to receive a radially inner portion of this ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Medicrea International
    Inventors: Denys Marc Sournac, Thomas Mosnier, David N. Ryan