Abstract: A polyaxial orthopedic device for use with rod implant apparatus includes a hook or a screw having a recess which includes a lower portion and an upper portion, the up per portion is curvate. A rod receiving head having a channel formed therein, and a central bore which is curvately tapered at the inside bottom, and equivalently curvately tapered on the exterior surface, is polyaxially seated in the upper portion of the recess while a post element is inserted down through the head into the lower portion of the recess. The upper portion of the post is widened and curvate so that it seats in the curved lower interior of the bore of the head. The insertion of a rod into the head, onto the top of the post and the subsequent application of a downward force thereon by a nut causes the assembly to lock together, independent of the polyaxial angle of the head to the post and hook, or screw.

Abstract: A rotatable drum for winding cable with an automatic cable lock. The rotatable drum comprises a rotatable shaft which has a first transverse aperture, and an outer drum member having an outer cable winding surface, which outer drum member is carried on the shaft and freely rotatable rotation therewith. The outer drum member defines a second transverse aperture which is positioned to align with the first transverse aperture in a first rotational position of the outer drum member. The two apertures can also be spaced in other rotational positions. Thus insertion of the cable end into the aligned first and second transverse apertures, plus rotation of the shaft to wind the cable about the outer drum member, can cause spontaneous locking of the cable between the first and second apertures by opposed walls of the respective apertures pinching against the cable.

Abstract: A method of assembling an improved bio-absorbable cartilage repair system includes the step of directly inserting the insert into a cavity in the delivery unit so as to leave a top of the insert exposed. A flexible, porous fabric piece, consisting substantially of bio-absorbable material, is then applied over the exposed top of the inserted insert and through a plurality of the windows of the delivery unit sidewall. The fabric piece includes a central body portion configured and dimensioned to substantially cover the exposed top of the inserted insert, and a plurality of leg portions extending outwardly from the body portion, the leg portions being configured and dimensioned to fit through the windows. Substantially all of each leg portion is next pulled through a respective window to cause the body portion to deform the inserted insert into assuming the shape of the cavity therebelow. Finally, the leg portions projecting from the windows are trimmed.

Abstract: A surgical connector that comprises a grid plate having multiple openings therethrough; the plate having multiple nodes distributed over the plate area; the plate defining multiple curved ribs interconnecting the nodes; there being at least three curved ribs connected to each node; the openings defined between the ribs.

Abstract: A longitudinal revascularization conduit is formed in the body of an implant. It is blind at the distal end of the body to be implanted in one bone fragment, such as the trochanter, and open via transverse orifices and at the proximal end of the body to be implanted in another bone fragment, such as the femoral head. At least one self-tapping section situated at the distal end of the body immobilizes the body in the bone, or an anchor end-piece is slidably mounted on the body and contains a damping device adapted to push the end-piece in the proximal direction and the body in the distal direction in order to maintain the fracture in compression. The distal end of the body may be mounted in a cylindrical portion of a plate secured on the diaphysis of the femur.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to retain elements of the spine and/or pelvis in a desired spatial relationship. A plurality of fasteners are connected with a plurality of the elements. A longitudinal member is connected with the fasteners by a plurality of connector members. The longitudinal member and fasteners are movable relative to each other to adjust the distance between the longitudinal member and fasteners to thereby obtain the desired spatial relationship between the longitudinal member and elements to which the fasteners are connected. Once the longitudinal member and fasteners have been positioned in the desired spatial relationship, clamps are engaged to hold the longitudinal member, fasteners and connector members against relative movement. To provide for the adjustability of the longitudinal member relative to the fasteners, oblong openings are formed in the connector members.

Abstract: An apparatus for retaining vertebrae in a desired spatial relationship. The apparatus includes a fastener which cooperates with a connector assembly, a longitudinal member which is positionable along the spinal column at a location offset from the fastener, and a connector assembly which connects the fastener with the longitudinal member. The connector assembly includes a transverse member, a retainer block, and a set screw. The transverse member and retainer block have mating teeth. When the desired spatial relationship is achieved, the set screw is tightened thereby engaging the teeth and providing for a rigid locked assembly.

Abstract: An osteosynthetic implant for setting a broken bone. The implant comprises a nail having a plurality of helically twisted blades that share a common helical axis. At least two of the blades define an angle of less than 180.degree. in a plane perpendicular to the helical axis. In a preferred embodiment, one pair of the blades of the nail is tapered towards its proximal portion and another pair has a uniform thickness. The blades are twisted by at least about 30.degree.. A cannulation runs through the center of the nail to receive a guide wire. The nail is slidably engageable to a member that is securable to an elongated portion of the bone, such as a side plate or an intramedullary nail. In a preferred implantation orientation, the proximate portion of the tapered blades is parallel to the elongated portion of the bone, and a proximate portion of the uniform blades is perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hip joint prosthesis comprising an attachment part for a ball unit (18) being designed to be anchored in the neck of a human femur (collum femoris), said attachment part, which is intended to be inserted into a channel (5, 14) extending through the femoral collum, being provided with parts for carrying a ball or caput (18) intended to be attached to the collum after removal of the head of the collum. The attachment part also comprises a fixture part comprising two main parts, a first part (1) which is to extend through a bore-hole (5) from the collum femoris towards the outer side of the femur and a second part (2) intended to fit into a cylindrical cavity cut into the cancellous bone of the collum.

Abstract: A lockwasher is provided for attaching a bone screw to a bone plate, thus making up an osteosynthetic system. The washer has a threaded screw hole, a lower section with a surface to be applied to a bone and an upper section shaped to be retained in a plate borehole, the lower section being of less than average width than the upper section.

Abstract: Instrumentation is provided for forming a cavity in the distal femur and for using that cavity as a reference for making exterior distal cuts of the femoral bone. At least a part of the walls of the cavity are formed by the cortical (hard) bone of the femur. In addition to its use in cutting the exterior bone, the cavity also serves to affix a femoral knee prosthesis to the femoral bone.

Abstract: Surgical crimping pliers have operating handles and connected, opposed jaws. The jaws define opposed recesses for carrying and crimping a tubular crimp member, which is preferably of oval configuration for carrying a plurality of multistrand cable sections so that, upon crimping, the cable sections are secured together. A capstan is carried on one of the handles for winding a plurality of cable portions so that tension may be placed on both ends of a cable loop array wound about a bone structure, to provide a predetermined, quantitative tension. Then the cable sections within the crimp are secured together by collapse of the crimp. A multistrand cable is preferably used, which exhibits great advantage over single strand wire, and which carries surgical needles of differing type secured to each end thereof.

Abstract: A membrane for temporarily covering a recess in the endogenic bone tissue filled with an osteogenic material, such as hydroxyapatite granules, as is needed following reconstruction of bones in plastic surgery or operations on the jaw, is composed of resorbable membrane material.

Abstract: A coupling device attaches to a surgical resecting instrument with a motorized shaft for rotating a surgical implement with at least one torque shoulder. The device houses a tubular shaft with a central bore which attaches to the motorized shaft through a hexagonally-shaped drive attachment with a bore. The tubular shaft has several apertures with balls that engage an annular recess in the implement shaft to restrict axial movement. The tubular shaft has axially spaced apart torque shoulders capable of engaging torque shoulders on implements of different size diameters or multiple diameters. The tubular shaft is also capable of driving an implement with axially spaced apart torque shoulders.

Abstract: Screwing device which incorporates a screw charger. The device comprises a tube which encloses axially aligned screws and which is capable of being made integral with a maneuvering shaft. The tube comprises, at its free end, rings for blocking the head of a screw and allowing only the threaded part of the screw to protrude. The screw is brought into this position with the aid of an axial thrust shaft which can be maneuvered by the user. For rotationally blocking the screw in the screwing position, the tube comprises at least two longitudinal slots which confer on the free end a certain transverse elasticity permitting a screw to be brought into the screwing position, and ensure that the screw is not driven in rotation and is released when the limit torque is reached.

Abstract: An implant device comprises a plate element (1) with a number of bone screw holes and bone screws (3) which are insertable and lockable therein. The head portion (23) of a bone screw is adapted to be inserted in an annular hole insert (19) mounted in the associated hole, such that the bone screw (3) can be made to occupy different angular positions in relation to the plate element by rotating or tilting the hole insert (19) and the bone screw therein in relation to the hole wall (17). The head portion (23) of a bone screw is adapted, when in an unlocked state, to be retainable in the hole insert (19) in such a manner as to be nondisplaceable in the longitudinal direction but preferably be rotatable, owing to the fact that it is provided with an annular bead (27) while the cooperating inner annular surface (21) of the hole insert is formed with an annular recess (25) matching and receiving the annular bead.

Abstract: A modular polyaxial pedicle screw and orthopaedic rod implant device including same includes a shaft portion, a cuff, a stem portion, and a rod coupling sub-assembly. The shaft portion is designed to be inserted into the pedicle, has a recess formed in its top, and includes a threading formed on the exterior surface around the recess. The stem portion is a threaded post having an enlarged ball formed at the base thereof, the ball being ideally suited to polyaxially rotate within the recess of the shaft. The cuff is a cylindrical element designed to seat around the interface of the ball portion of the stem and the recess of the shaft, initially so that the stem and shaft may polyaxially rotate relative to one another, and subsequently to hold the stem and shaft in final securement. The rod coupling sub-assembly consists of a rod coupling element which is mountable on the post portion of the stem, and a top locking nut which secures the rod coupling element to the post between the nut and the cuff.

Abstract: There is disclosed a stent for implanting in the body. The stent is formed of a tube having a patterned shape which has first and second meander patterns having axes extending in first and second directions. The first meander patterns can be formed into even and odd first meander patterns. The even and odd first meander patterns are 180.degree. out of phase with each other and the odd patterns occur between every two even patterns. The second meander patterns are intertwined with the first meander patterns. The first and second directions can be orthogonal to each other. The second meander patterns can also be formed of even and odd patterns.

Abstract: This bone plate has an upper side, a lower side for bone contact, two longitudinal sides, a longitudinal center line and a plurality of screw holes extending from said upper to said lower side.The surface of said upper side around said screw holes is designed as a depressed area with regard to the rest of said upper side and the side edge of said depressed area is running approximately parallel to said longitudinal sides.The removal of material is effected at strategic locations of the bone plate in order to reduce the peak stresses.

Abstract: A polyaxial colletted locking mechanism for use with orthopedic apparatus includes a screw, hook, or other orthopaedic implant element having a curvate head and a coupling element. The coupling element has a tapered and colletted portion having an interior chamber in which the curvate head is initially polyaxially disposed. A locking collar is disposed around the tapered and colletted portion such that translation thereof in the direction of the expanding taper causes the interior volume to contract onto the curvate head and lock it therein. The coupling element generally also includes a rod receiving recess in either the side or top thereof for for receiving a rod of the total implant apparatus. The locking collar may be caused to translate into its locking position by a mutual threading on the tapered portion and the collar, or by pressure applied to it by a separate element which locks the rod in the channel.