Abstract: An improved tibial component is provided for a knee prosthesis, wherein the tibial component includes a pair of tibial tray members adapted to accommodate independent longitudinal shifting during patient function while retaining a secure and stable fixation with respect to patient bone. The two tibial tray members comprise medial and lateral members for supporting the medial and laternal condyles of a knee joint. These tray members are interconnected by a slide key arrangement which restrains the tibial tray members against relative movement in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions, while permitting relative shifting in a longitudinal direction corresponding generally with a central axis of the patient's tibia. In the preferred form, the two tibial tray members cooperatively define a common anchoring post and include one or more antirotation fins for mechanically locking with patient bone.

Abstract: A physiologically conforming solution for use in invasive medical procedures which is hypertonic with respect to blood serum and may, in fact, have a higher osmolality than synovial fluid. The solution is of particular utility as an irrigant in arthroscopic surgery in order to reduce the risk of swelling and injury of the synovial tissues and as a therapeutic treatment for swelling and subsequent inflammation of joints and soft tissue which occurs in certain traumatized and pathological states.