Abstract: An embodiment utilizes Ion Beam Enhanced Deposited (IBED) TiN in orthopedics to improve the wear and durability of Titanium articular surfaces and to reduce the leaching of metal ions associates with Cobalt Chrome implants.

Abstract: The dual-purpose orthopedic instrument includes an elongated body, an impactor block formed from a first end of the elongated body selectively couplable with a modular impactor head and a strike block formed from a second end of the elongated body including a strike surface for selectively receiving a strike force thereof. An externally accessible channel formed within the elongated body has a size and shape for pass-through reception and select retention of an extractor rod therein. As such, the elongated body is usable as a modular impactor when the impactor block is selectively coupled with the impactor head and as a weight of a slap hammer when selectively coupled with the extractor rod in slidable relation relative thereto.

Abstract: The unibody orthopedic instrument includes an elongated handle, a latching interface outwardly extending relative to the elongated handle and selectively couplable to an orthopedic component, and a hand accessible spring-biased lever arm operable with a hinge coupled to the elongated handle about a pivot. The hinge normally positions the latching interface in a first latched position for locking engagement with the orthopedic component and is otherwise operable by the spring-biased lever arm about the pivot to reposition the latching interface from the normally latched position to an unlatched position for disengagement from the orthopedic component.

Abstract: The process for producing an orthopedic implant having an integrated silicon nitride surface layer includes steps for positioning the orthopedic implant inside a vacuum chamber, mixing nitrogen gas and vaporized silicon atoms in the vacuum chamber, emitting a relatively high energy beam into the mixture of nitrogen gas and vaporized silicon atoms in the vacuum chamber to cause a gas-phase reaction between the nitrogen gas and the vaporized silicon atoms to form reacted precipitate silicon nitride molecules, and driving the precipitate silicon nitride molecules with the same beam into an outer surface of the orthopedic implant at a relatively high energy such that the precipitate silicon nitride molecules implant therein and form at least a part of the molecular structure of the outer surface of the orthopedic implant, thereby forming the integrated silicon nitride surface layer.

Abstract: The dual-purpose orthopedic instrument includes an elongated body, an impactor block formed from a first end of the elongated body selectively couplable with a modular impactor head and a strike block formed from a second end of the elongated body including a strike surface for selectively receiving a strike force thereof. An externally accessible channel formed within the elongated body has a size and shape for pass-through reception and select retention of an extractor rod therein. As such, the elongated body is usable as a modular impactor when the impactor block is selectively coupled with the impactor head and as a weight of a slap hammer when selectively coupled with the extractor rod in slidable relation relative thereto.

Abstract: The process for producing an orthopedic implant having an integrated ceramic surface layer includes steps for positioning the orthopedic implant inside a vacuum chamber, emitting a relatively high energy beam into the at least two different vaporized metalloid or transition metal atoms in the vacuum chamber to cause a collision therein to form ceramic molecules, and driving the ceramic molecules with the ion beam into an outer surface of the orthopedic implant at a relatively high energy such that the ceramic molecules implant therein and form at least a part of the molecular structure of the outer surface of the orthopedic implant, thereby forming the integrated ceramic surface layer.

Abstract: The self-biasing ankle clamp tibial alignment guide includes a clamp body, at least one lever arm outwardly extending from the clamp body, and an alignment rod generally upwardly extending toward a proximal end of a patient tibia and movable relative to the clamp body. A strap couples to the lever arm to exert a force thereon offset from a contact point where the clamp body pulls into engagement with a patient, thereby generating a moment about the contact point that causes the alignment rod carrying a cutting guide to bias forward into engagement with the patient.

Abstract: The tibial insert includes a base having a coupling for attachment to a tibial baseplate, and an upwardly presented articular surface formed from the base, which includes a concave troughed geometry having a progressively larger medial-to-lateral frontal cross-section opening anteriorly to posteriorly along a length of the tibial insert.

Abstract: The dual mobility acetabular component includes an acetabular cup and a liner that engage one another in a relatively static relationship by way of a Morse taper. The acetabular cup and the liner may be manufactured from a metal material (e.g., titanium) that decreases the energy differential therebetween, to limit or eliminate the galvanic cell phenomenon that forms between adjacent surfaces thereof as a result of body fluid therein that remains captured in small gaps or spaces due to capillarity. As such, the dual mobility acetabular component may experience reduced fretting compared to conventional hip joints known in the art.

Abstract: The dual mobility acetabular component includes an acetabular cup and a liner that engage one another in a relatively static relationship by way of a Morse taper. The acetabular cup and the liner may be manufactured from a metal material (e.g., titanium) that decreases the energy differential therebetween, to limit or eliminate the galvanic cell phenomenon that forms between adjacent surfaces thereof as a result of body fluid therein that remains captured in small gaps or spaces due to capillarity. As such, the dual mobility acetabular component may experience reduced fretting compared to conventional hip joints known in the art.

Abstract: The unibody orthopedic instrument includes an elongated handle, a latching interface outwardly extending relative to the elongated handle and selectively couplable to an orthopedic component, and a hand accessible spring-biased lever arm operable with a hinge coupled to the elongated handle about a pivot. The hinge normally positions the latching interface in a first latched position for locking engagement with the orthopedic component and is otherwise operable by the spring-biased lever arm about the pivot to reposition the latching interface from the normally latched position to an unlatched position for disengagement from the orthopedic component.

Abstract: The dual-purpose orthopedic instrument includes an elongated body, an impactor block formed from a first end of the elongated body selectively couplable with a modular impactor head and a strike block formed from a second end of the elongated body including a strike surface for selectively receiving a strike force thereof. An externally accessible channel formed within the elongated body has a size and shape for pass-through reception and select retention of an extractor rod therein. As such, the elongated body is usable as a modular impactor when the impactor block is selectively coupled with the impactor head and as a weight of a slap hammer when selectively coupled with the extractor rod in slidable relation relative thereto.

Abstract: The self-biasing ankle clamp tibial alignment guide includes a clamp body, at least one lever arm outwardly extending from the clamp body, and an alignment rod generally upwardly extending toward a proximal end of a patient tibia and movable relative to the clamp body. A strap couples to the lever arm to exert a force thereon offset from a contact point where the clamp body pulls into engagement with a patient, thereby generating a moment about the contact point that causes the alignment rod carrying a cutting guide to bias forward into engagement with the patient.

Abstract: An orthopedic implant having a subsurface level ceramic layer generally includes a base material, an intermix layer molecularly integrated with the base material that includes a mixture of the base material and a plurality of subsurface level ceramic-based molecules implanted into the base material, and an integrated ceramic surface layer molecularly integrated with and extending from the intermix layer forming at least part of a molecular structure of an outer surface of the orthopedic implant. The integrated ceramic surface layer and the base material thereafter cooperate to sandwich the intermix layer in between.

Abstract: The process for producing an orthopedic implant having an integrated ceramic surface layer includes steps for positioning the orthopedic implant inside a vacuum chamber, emitting a relatively high energy beam into the at least two different vaporized metalloid or transition metal atoms in the vacuum chamber to cause a collision therein to form ceramic molecules, and driving the ceramic molecules with the ion beam into an outer surface of the orthopedic implant at a relatively high energy such that the ceramic molecules implant therein and form at least a part of the molecular structure of the outer surface of the orthopedic implant, thereby forming the integrated ceramic surface layer.

Abstract: The instrument tray indicator system includes a three-dimensional indicia associated with a least a portion of an instrument tray carrying at least one medical component. The three-dimensional indicia has a structure symbolic of the at least one medical component within the instrument tray, and the three-dimensional indicia is of a size and shape to provide external tactile feedback of the structure of the three-dimensional indicia through a sterile wrapping sealing an interior of the instrument tray with the at least one medical component therein. This allows one to identify the at least one medical component within the instrument tray without removing the sterile wrapping.

Abstract: The dual mobility acetabular component includes an acetabular cup and a liner that engage one another in a relatively static relationship by way of a Morse taper. The acetabular cup and the liner may be manufactured from a metal material (e.g., titanium) that decreases the energy differential therebetween, to limit or eliminate the galvanic cell phenomenon that forms between adjacent surfaces thereof as a result of body fluid therein that remains captured in small gaps or spaces due to capillarity. As such, the dual mobility acetabular component may experience reduced fretting compared to conventional hip joints known in the art.