Abstract: A subcutaneous, intramuscular support (1) is provided for a rigid transcutaneous implant (2), which can be anchored intracorporeally in a bone stump. The support has an intermediate piece (3) between the part of the implant (2) to be intracorporeally anchored and an extracorporeal coupling device (4) that can be coupled to it. A rigid bushing (5) is firmly connected with the intermediate piece (3), such that an annulus (6) is formed between the wall of the bushing (5) and the intermediate piece (3), the annulus being closed in the intracorporeal direction, and into which annulus the extracorporeal coupling device can be inserted. A tube (7) made of a flexible material is applied to the outer wall of the bushing (5), and a metallic wool (8) is applied to the flexible tube (7).

Abstract: The invention relates to a reinforcement endoprosthesis for use in a femoral bone which is resected at an end of a hip joint and at an end of a knee joint. The endoprosthesis includes a stem part of an artificial hip joint and a condyle part of an artificial knee joint. The connecting part between the stem part and the condyle part is configured as a two-piece intramedullary nail which extends inside the femoral bone. One part of the intramedullary nail is a massive intramedullary nail with a connecting portion for a thread and a thread attached thereto and another part of the intramedullary nail is a hollow intramedullary nail with a female thread matching the thread of the first part. The female thread can be screwed with the thread, thereby allowing a length adjustment of the endoprosthesis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thigh stump endoprosthesis for an exoprosthetic treatment of a patient whose leg has been amputated in the thigh area, whereby the thigh stump can be pulled into a shaft to which the replica of a lower leg part and foot part of the prosthesis is attached. The inventive prosthesis includes a proximal shaft part which can be inserted inside a femur stump, whereby the shaft part is at least partially covered by an open-mesh three-dimensional spatial network structure, and includes a conical adapter on the distal end thereof. A condyle replacement which re-creates the shape of natural condyles of a knee joint can be coupled to the shaft part by means of said adapter. A cuneiform support can be joined to the condyle replacement with a wedge angle &agr; which restores the valgity of the leg.

Abstract: A knee joint endoprosthesis is provided having a femoral part (1) that can be linked with a shank part to be anchored in the femur, the femoral part being provided with two runners (2, 3) interlinked ventrally via a bridge. A tibia plateau part (5) interacts with a shank part to be anchored in the tibia and is provided with two slide guides (6) in which the runners (2, 3) of the femoral part (1) can roll off and slide. The tibia plateau part (5) is hinged on the shank part by means of a rotation mechanism. Up to a predetermined bending angle of the knee joint the femoral part (1) and the tibia plateau part (5) are linked in a negative and in a positive fit, such that the femoral part (1) can be rotationally moved on the tibia shank part due to the fastening of the tibia plateau part (5) on the tibia shank part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hollow rasp for preparing a tubular bone in which a post-shaped endoprosthesis is inserted. A manipulating instrument can be proximally coupled to the rasp. The rasp comprises a metal grid network and a plurality of metal rasp elements. The metal rasp elements are studded at least at junctions of the metal grid network and are an integral part of a material forming the grid network.

Abstract: A hollow endoprosthesis including a metal grid network, metal particles mounted at least at junctions of the metal grid network, and a solid metal portion. Each of the metal particles includes a basic body and at least three pins projecting radially from the basic body, and is an integral part of a material forming the grid network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a subcutaneous, intramuscular coupling for a rigid transcutaneous implant, which can be anchored intra-corporally in a bone stump (10) and which has an extra-corporal coupling device (18) for an exoprosthetic standard element. The coupling (1) consists of a flexible material and has a socket (7), which surrounds and secures the implant (2), in addition to an intra-corporal coupling sleeve (3) in the form of a concertina, which forms a sealed connection with the sleeve (7) at the proximal end, by means of a moulded attachment (4), in such a way that a gap with a minimum width (s) is maintained between the interior wall of the concertina and the exterior wall of the sleeve (7). A flexible lattice network (5) is located at the distal end of the concertina and an additional lattice network (6), with a higher elasticity modulus, is attached to the distal end of said additional network.

Abstract: The invention relates an adapter for an exoprosthetic standard element such as an exoprosthetic knee joint. The adapter can be inserted with a proximal handle part into a tubular bone stump. The proximal handle part is at least partly covered with a tree-dimensional open-loop network structure and at its distal end has a coupling device for the standard element.

Abstract: The invention relates to an upper leg stump endoprosthesis for an exoprosthetic provision of a patient having undergone above-knee amputation. According to the invention, the upper leg stump can be inserted into a shank to which a below-knee prosthesis with a foot part is fitted. The inventive prosthesis includes a proximal shaft which is implantable in a truncated femur; an open-mesh, three-dimensional netting structure covering at least partially the proximal shaft; an adapter connected to a distal end of the proximal shaft; and a substitute condyle element, constituting a replica of a natural condyle of a knee joint, and linked to said shaft by said adapter.

Abstract: A leg exoprosthesis for adaptation to a thigh stump (1) has an adapter (2) for a knee joint (3), a knee joint (3) mounted thereon, and a lower leg prosthesis (4) coupled to it. On the lower leg prosthesis (4) a force-transmitting element (5) is coupled into which extending forces are introduced.

Abstract: Pairs of partner elements for artificial joint implants have two-dimensional surface contact in which one joint part (1) rotates, rolls, slides or combines these in one movement relative to another joint part (2). A gap (10) is formed between the sliding partner elements for a film consisting of natural synovia fluid. The surface of at least one of the sliding partner elements has regularly positioned recesses (3) which serve as a reservoir for the synovia.

Abstract: The system includes a nail jig which is initially secured by means of fixing nails (38), after production of a stable three-point mounting of plates and legs extending from the nail jig, on the femur (10) in the vicinity of the condyles of the knee joint. The nail jig can then be removed from the femur (10), leaving the fixing nails (38) in the femoral bone. A saw jig (40) with the same basic shape as the nail jig and with identical holes for the fixing nails (28) can be placed on the fixing nails which were left in the femur (10). Precise allocation of boring pairs by both the nail and saw jig enables twist to be transferred to the artificial knee joint system at a ratio of 1:1 according to the predetermined size of the part of the femur to be implanted. In order to compensate for the incline in the frontal resection surface which is attached at a slant, the system is provided with a compensating wedge (46) which is inserted between the striking plate (32) and the lateral condyle (39′).

Abstract: A shunt valve is provided for insertion into a surgically produced connecting canal between the trachea and the esophagus. The valve has a tube-like section (1) with an open lumen (11) to be turned towards the trachea and a closable lumen end (14) which is to be turned towards the esophagus and which can be closed by a flap valve (2) functioning on one side. The flap (3) of the valve is spring loaded in such a way that the flap valve (2) remains in closed position during insufficient counterforce and allows a flow of air from the trachea to the esophagus during inhalation and opening of the flap (3). The tubular section (1) is provided with a physiologically compatible plastic sleeve (4). The pivoting area (7) of the flap (3) of the flap valve (2) is substantially completely covered by a roof-like protuberance (10) of the plastic sleeve.

Abstract: A prophylactic implant is provided for protecting osteoporosis-affected bone segments against fractures, in particular the neck of the femur, the vertebral column and the wrist. According to a proposed solution, the implant comprises a thin-walled hollow reinforcing body (1) having such a large number of passages (2) in its outer wall (3) that the ratio of the total area of the passages (2) to the total surface area is at least 1:2.

Abstract: A knee joint endoprosthesis has an element for the femur (2) which is substantially U-shaped when seen from a medial to a lateral angle, one horizontal, two diagonal and two vertical support surfaces facing the femur for accommodation on the resected femur bone, which is fitted with two runners (24, 25), and an element for the tibia (1) having two slide tracks (4, 5) on which the runners for the femur element can roll, and optionally slide, and a horizontal support surface (6) facing the tibia for accommodation on the resected tibia. The femur element (20) and tibia element (1) are configured without any shanks. At least both diagonal support surfaces of the femur element (2) and the horizontal support surface (6) of the tibia element (20) are fitted with an open-mesh, three-dimensional spatial network structure (7) which is an integral component of the base structures (8, 8′) of the femur element (20) and the tibia element (1).

Abstract: An implant is provided as a bone replacement having an open-meshed, three-dimensional structure which at least partially covers its surface and which is constructed from particles which are connected to a base structure (1) of the implant. The particles have four to eight studs (3) extending radially outward from each other, at least three of which are connected directly to the base structure. At least the ends (7) of the studs (3) projecting out freely from the base structure (1) form undercuts (8) and have a surface which is outwardly rounded off.

Abstract: A femur endoprosthesis for an artificial hip joint is provided with a stem (1) which can be implanted without cement in the upper region of a femur below the greater trochanter. The proximal end (8) of the stem is connectable with an adapter (2) for accommodating an artificial spherical part of a joint (20). The exterior of the stem is at least partially covered with an open-meshed three-dimensional spatial lattice structure (9). A distal end of the stem is bent caudally with a caudally oriented step (31) in the transition area and constructed as a stem end (30), which is also at least partially covered with an open-meshed three-dimensional spatial lattice structure (9).

Abstract: A femur endoprosthesis for an artificial hip joint includes (a) a shell (1) which can be implanted without cement in the upper region of a femur below the greater trochanter, the proximal end (8) of the shell being connectable with an adapter (2) for accommodating an artificial spherical joint part (20), wherein the exterior of the shell is at least partially covered with an open-meshed three-dimensional spatial lattice structure (9), and (b) a draw plate (3) in which a draw-in screw (4) can be fastened, which can be inserted in the interior of the shell through a through bore (5) in its distal end (6), and which can be screwed in with a thread (7) provided therein.

Abstract: A finger joint has first and second hollow anchorage shafts (2, 3) which can be implanted in finger tubular bones with a hinge joint (4) arranged between them. The first hollow shaft (2) can be connected with a ball cage (5) of the hinge joint (4) in which a spherical part (6) is mounted, on which a protruding stem (7) is formed. This stem (7) passes through the ball cage (5), and indeed through a slit (8) provided therefor in the wall of the ball cage (5). The slit (8) in the ball cage (5) widens continuously from the point (P) at which the stem (7) passes through the ball cage (5) in the extended position of the joint (4) to the point (M) at which the stem (7) passes through the ball cage (5) in the flexed position of the joint. In this manner, additional play is allowed to the joint in the flexed position, which largely corresponds to the physiological coordinated movement of a finger joint.

Abstract: A clavicle orthotic device has two bands (8, 8') of essentially non-elastic material adjustable in length. The bands (8, 8') are permanently attached at their respective first ends (3, 3') to a common support element (2) and can be detachably fastened to the support element at their respective second ends (4, 4'). For increasing wearing comfort through the greatest freedom of movement possible with simultaneous introduction of sufficient traction to the fractured clavicle, the support element (2) is constructed as an oblong plate element, at whose upper region the first ends (3, 3') are installed, and at whose lower region the second ends (4, 4') of the bands can be mounted by means of two buckles (5, 5'), whereby both buckles are positioned on the support element (2) as to be pivotable about a rotation point (6).