Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for attaching tissue structures to orthopaedic implants. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal tibial implant. In another exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal femoral implant.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for attaching tissue structures to orthopedic implants. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal tibial implant. In another exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal femoral implant.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for attaching soft tissue and bone to orthopaedic implants. The orthopaedic implants are provided with a woven ingrowth material to facilitate attachment of soft tissue and bone thereto. In one embodiment, the woven ingrowth material is formed as a patch or region of woven material attached to the implant. In another embodiment, a sleeve formed of woven ingrowth material encompasses the majority of the implant.

Abstract: The use of operational configuration parameters to predict digital system failures is described herein. At least some illustrative embodiments include a method that includes initializing a digital system (the initializing comprising determining an operational configuration of at least part of the digital system), saving the operational configuration to a database stored on the digital system, reading the operational configuration from the database and comparing the operational configuration to a reference configuration, and identifying the digital system as being at risk of a future failure if at least one parameter of the operational configuration differs from the at least one same parameter of the reference configuration by more than a tolerance value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for attaching tissue structures to orthopaedic implants. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal tibial implant. In another exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal femoral implant.

Abstract: An orthopaedic bone plate is coupled to a bone having an enlarged head at one end thereof which is attached to a shaft. The bone plate includes an elongate portion, a flared portion and an intermediate portion. The elongate portion is attachable to the bone shaft using a plurality of bone screws. The elongate portion generally defines a longitudinal axis. The flared portion is attachable to the bone head using at least one bone screw. The intermediate portion interconnects the elongate portion and the flared portion. The intermediate portion is structured and arranged to allow the elongate portion and the flared portion to move relative to each other in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis when the elongate portion and the flared portion are attached to the bone.

Abstract: A constrained prosthetic knee having a modular hinge post and a rotating bearing. A cannulated hinge post is rotatably connected to the femoral component of the knee prosthesis so that a hinge post extension may be anteriorly positioned through the hinge post and into the tibial component of the knee prosthesis, after positioning of the femoral component in the femur and the tibial component in the tibia. The hinge post is preassembled to the femoral component so that such assembly is not required during the implantation procedure. A meniscal component forming the rotating bearing of the knee prosthesis is packaged together with the hinge post extension so that the appropriate hinge post extension is readily available. The meniscal component includes a mechanism for preventing lift off of the meniscal component from the tibial component, while allowing rotation of the meniscal component relative to the tibial component.

Abstract: A provisional prosthetic system and the surgical methods for utilizing the same. In one embodiment, the provisional prosthetic system includes a keel and a plate configured to be secured to the keel. The keel may further include a body and at least one fin extending outwardly therefrom. The fin functions to prevent rotation of the keel once it is implanted within a bone. In one embodiment, the plate includes a captured screw having a flanged head and external threads. The captured screw is retained by the plate and configured to secure the plate to the keel. In this embodiment, the captured screw extends through an aperture in the plate. Further, the captured screw may be retained by the plate due to the interaction of the flange head and external threads of the captured screw with the top and bottom surfaces of the plate, respectively.

Abstract: The modular stem component may include a shaft portion, a head, and a sleeve. The shaft portion is configured for receipt within the intramedullary canal of a bone and the head is configured to receive another component of a modular prosthetic system, such as a femoral neck, thereon. In one exemplary embodiment, the head extends radially around at least a portion of the stem and includes a rib defining a flange extending therefrom. The sleeve, which is formed as an independent part of the modular stem component and is made at least partially of a highly porous biomaterial, includes opposing ends and has a bore extending therethrough. The bore is configured to facilitate sliding receipt of the sleeve on the head.

Abstract: The use of operational configuration parameters to predict digital system failures is described herein. At least some illustrative embodiments include a method that includes initializing a digital system (the initializing comprising determining an operational configuration of at least part of the digital system), saving the operational configuration to a database stored on the digital system, reading the operational configuration from the database and comparing the operational configuration to a reference configuration, and identifying the digital system as being at risk of a future failure if at least one parameter of the operational configuration differs from the at least one same parameter of the reference configuration by more than a tolerance value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for attaching soft tissue and/or bone to orthopaedic implants. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal tibial implant. In another exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatuses are used to attach soft tissue and/or bone to a proximal femoral implant.

Abstract: A provisional prosthetic system and the surgical methods for utilizing the same. In one embodiment, the provisional prosthetic system includes a keel and a plate configured to be secured to the keel. The keel may further include a body and at least one fin extending outwardly therefrom. The fin functions to prevent rotation of the keel once it is implanted within a bone. In one embodiment, the plate includes a captured screw having a flanged head and external threads. The captured screw is retained by the plate and configured to secure the plate to the keel. In this embodiment, the captured screw extends through an aperture in the plate. Further, the captured screw may be retained by the plate due to the interaction of the flange head and external threads of the captured screw with the top and bottom surfaces of the plate, respectively.

Abstract: A blade plate, as well as instruments and methods for securing the blade plate to a bone to reduce a bone fracture. The blade plate includes a plate portion and a blade portion extending at an angle relative to the plate portion. The plate portion includes a plurality of holes for receipt of bone screws for securing the blade plate to the bone about the bone fracture. A strut screw, inserted through a hole in the plate portion, spans the angle between the plate and blade portions, and threadingly engages a hole in the blade portion to slightly draw the plate and blade portions together to compress and support the bone fracture. A pair of top screws are inserted through holes in the plate portion at angles with respect to the strut screw on either side of the strut screw. Additionally, the blade plate is designed to closely conform to the surface of the bone to minimize the gap between the bone and the blade plate.

Abstract: A constrained prosthetic knee having a modular hinge post and a rotating bearing. A cannulated hinge post is rotatably connected to the femoral component of the knee prosthesis so that a hinge post extension may be anteriorly positioned through the hinge post and into the tibial component of the knee prosthesis, after positioning of the femoral component in the femur and the tibial component in the tibia. The hinge post is preassembled to the femoral component so that such assembly is not required during the implantation procedure. A meniscal component forming the rotating bearing of the knee prosthesis is packaged together with the hinge post extension so that the appropriate hinge post extension is readily available. The meniscal component includes a mechanism for preventing lift off of the meniscal component from the tibial component, while allowing rotation of the meniscal component relative to the tibial component.

Abstract: A method of customer service that uses a program which captures the computer's hardware and operating system configuration when the program is installed, and also captures the hardware and operating system configuration upon request (when the user needs customer service help), and compares the two, highlighting differences.

Abstract: An orthopaedic bone plate is coupled to a bone having an enlarged head at one end thereof which is attached to a shaft. The bone plate includes an elongate portion, a flared portion and an intermediate portion. The elongate portion is attachable to the bone shaft using a plurality of bone screws. The elongate portion generally defines a longitudinal axis. The flared portion is attachable to the bone head using at least one bone screw. The intermediate portion interconnects the elongate portion and the flared portion. The intermediate portion is structured and arranged to allow the elongate portion and the flared portion to move relative to each other in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis when the elongate portion and the flared portion are attached to the bone.

Abstract: A constrained prosthetic knee having a modular hinge post and a rotating bearing. A cannulated hinge post is rotatably connected to the femoral component of the knee prosthesis so that a hinge post extension may be anteriorly positioned through the hinge post and into the tibial component of the knee prosthesis, after positioning of the femoral component in the femur and the tibial component in the tibia. The hinge post is preassembled to the femoral component so that such assembly is not required during the implantation procedure. A meniscal component forming the rotating bearing of the knee prosthesis is packaged together with the hinge post extension so that the appropriate hinge post extension is readily available.

Abstract: A constrained prosthetic knee having a modular hinge post and a rotating bearing. A cannulated hinge post is rotatably connected to the femoral component of the knee prosthesis so that a hinge post extension may be anteriorly positioned through the hinge post and into the tibial component of the knee prosthesis, after positioning of the femoral component in the femur and the tibial component in the tibia. The hinge post is preassembled to the femoral component so that such assembly is not required during the implantation procedure. A meniscal component forming the rotating bearing of the knee prosthesis is packaged together with the hinge post extension so that the appropriate hinge post extension is readily available. The meniscal component includes a mechanism for preventing lift off of the meniscal component from the tibial component, while allowing rotation of the meniscal component relative to the tibial component.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and an apparatus for performing remote system administration upon a standalone computer system, using a controlling computer system. A remote communication sequence is started. The remote communication sequence is used to initiate a web browser application within a communication control platform using an Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) communication link. Communications between the controlling computer system and the standalone computer system is established using the communication control platform. A diagnostic application on the standalone computer system is initiated using the established communication between the controlling computer system and the standalone computer system.

Abstract: An orthopaedic bone plate is coupled to a bone having an enlarged head at one end thereof which is attached to a shaft. The bone plate includes an elongate portion a flared portion and an intermediate portion. The elongate portion is attachable to the bone shaft using a plurality of bone screws. The elongate portion generally defines a longitudinal axis. The flared portion is attachable to the bone head using at least one bone screw. The intermediate portion interconnects the elongate portion and the flared portion. The intermediate portion is structured and arranged to allow the elongate portion and the flared portion to move relative to each other in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis when the elongate portion and the flared portion are attached to the bone.