Abstract: Instrumentation and methods are provided for orthopedic surgery, including bone distraction. The application describes a bone distraction system that can be used to both distract and retract, or increase and decrease, a gap between first and second bone segments. The instrumentation can include any one of, or any combination of, a distractor, a ratchet, a first footplate, a second footplate, a first torque application instrument, and a second torque application instrument.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a bone screw includes a shaft having a proximal shaft end and a distal shaft end spaced from the proximal shaft end in a distal direction along a central axis. The shaft is helically threaded between the proximal and distal shaft ends. A tip extends from the distal shaft end in the distal direction, and defines a plurality of lands with cutting flutes disposed between adjacent lands. Each land has a bore-cutting edge that extends from an inner cutting edge end to an outer cutting edge end. The inner cutting edge end is disposed at a center of the distal end of the tip, and the outer cutting edge end is spaced from the center of the distal end of the tip. The bore-cutting edges may blunt the feel of the tip so as to reduce the likelihood of soft-tissue damage.

Abstract: Instrumentation and methods are provided for orthopedic surgery, including bone distraction. The application describes a bone distraction system that can be used to both distract and retract, or increase and decrease, a gap between first and second bone segments. The instrumentation can include any one of, or any combination of, a distractor, a ratchet, a first footplate, a second footplate, a first torque application instrument, and a second torque application instrument.

Abstract: Instrumentation and methods are provided for orthopedic surgery, including bone distraction. The application describes a bone distraction system that can be used to both distract and retract, or increase and decrease, a gap between first and second bone segments. The instrumentation can include any one of, or any combination of, a distractor, a ratchet, a first footplate, a second footplate, a first torque application instrument, and a second torque application instrument.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a bone screw includes a shaft having a proximal shaft end and a distal shaft end spaced from the proximal shaft end in a distal direction along a central axis. The shaft is helically threaded between the proximal and distal shaft ends. A tip extends from the distal shaft end in the distal direction, and defines a plurality of lands with cutting flutes disposed between adjacent lands. Each land has a bore-cutting edge that extends from an inner cutting edge end to an outer cutting edge end. The inner cutting edge end is disposed at a center of the distal end of the tip, and the outer cutting edge end is spaced from the center of the distal end of the tip. The bore-cutting edges may blunt the feel of the tip so as to reduce the likelihood of soft-tissue damage.

Abstract: Instrumentation and methods are provided for orthopedic surgery, including bone distraction. The application describes a bone distraction system that can be used to both distract and retract, or increase and decrease, a gap between first and second bone segments. The instrumentation can include any one of, or any combination of, a distractor, a ratchet, a first footplate, a second footplate, a first torque application instrument, and a second torque application instrument.

Abstract: A prosthetic implant, and method for making same, is described. The prosthetic implant preferably has a porous coating containing a plurality of pores therein. A biodegradable material is introduced into the pores, preferably under vacuum conditions, and substantially fills the pores. Because the pores are filled with the biodegradable material, they hinder infiltration of wear particles generated during loading of the prosthetic implant. Simultaneously, the biodegradable material permits infiltration of new bone tissue into the filled pores.

Abstract: An intramedullary interlock screw includes an elongate shank having a preferably cylindrical shank outer surface, and an external thread disposed helically about the shank and having a thread outer surface coaxial with and substantially parallel to the shank outer surface. The shank diameter as determined by the shank outer surface is at least 0.75 times the thread diameter as determined by the thread outer surface, and most preferably is 0.85 - 0.9 times the thread diameter, resulting in a considerable reduction in thread height as compared to similarly sized conventional bone screws. Further, the thread outer surface has a width at least twenty percent of the thread pitch, a substantial increase over the corresponding percentage in conventional bone screws. Both features contribute to an increase in the strength of the screw, in terms of resistance to bending forces applied laterally, i.e. perpendicular to the screw length.

Abstract: An intramedullary interlock screw includes an elongate shank having a preferably cylindrical shank outer surface, and an external thread disposed helically about the shank and having a thread outer surface coaxial with and substantially parallel to the shank outer surface. The shank diameter as determined by the shank outer surface is at least 0.75 times the thread diameter as determined by the thread outer surface, and most preferably is 0.85-0.9 times the thread diameter, resulting in a considerable reduction in thread height as compared to similarly sized conventional bone screws. Further, the thread outer surface has a width at least twenty percent of the thread pitch, a substantial increase over the corresponding percentage in conventional bone screws. Both features contribute to an increase in the strength of the screw, in terms of resistance to bending forces applied laterally, i.e. perpendicular to the screw length.