FEMORAL HEAD RESURFACING APPARATUS AND METHODS
A femoral head resurfacing apparatus includes a cap of hemispherical shape and stabilization structure (e.g., one or more non-shear fixation bars) that inserts into slots cut into the femoral head, so that the cap remains substantially immovable other than due northerly. A method of resurfacing the femoral head of a hip joint includes removing longitudinal slots or holes of bone in the femoral head, and attaching a hemispherical cap to the head, the cap having non-shear fixation bars or other stabilizing structure for mating engagement with the slots or holes.
This application is a continuation of commonly-owned and copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/937,047, filed 9 Sep. 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/200,239, filed 22 Jul. 2002, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent Application Ser. No. 60/307,244, entitled “Total Hip Joint Replacement Prosthesis” filed 23 Jul. 2001. Each of the above-identified applications is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONVarious partial or complete replacements of the hip joint have been proposed and used since the early 1900's. Most of the procedures or methods involved material problems that led to joint loosening and consequential failure.
One widely used total hip replacement removes the femoral head and inserts a stem into the upper end of the femur, where it is fixed either by cement or by bone growth into a porous coating. A small metal ball, replacing the patient's femoral ball, is affixed to the stem. This technique requires massive bone removal and results in extreme loading of force in a leveraging action from the top of the femoral ball to a lower part of the stem. Over a few years, force applied by vigorous and mostly younger patients can cause the stem to loosen, resulting in failure, pain and need for extensive and expensive revisions.
When a patient has enough bone stock, a resurfacing approach may be used. In one example, the femoral head is resurfaced with a singular fixation approach that uses either cementing or bone ingrowth into a porous surface or surfacing material. However, with the singular fixation approach, the probability of failure remains high because there is no mechanism to back up, reinforce and absorb large downward forces and subsequent reactionary forces applied through vigorous activity.
Accordingly, after a hip joint replacement utilizing prior art techniques, slight movements (up to about 0.08 mm per year) of a replacement shell relative to a femoral ball may occur and are deemed “acceptable migration.” Single point fixation methods typically mitigate this problem with respect to only one degree of freedom in movement; for example, a centering post can stop a cap or shell from migrating longitudinally, but does not prevent it from migrating equatorially. The polar north direction is not a problem, in that anatomically most force applied to a femoral head is driving the shell on, versus pulling it off. Cement is capable of preventing loosening in the polar north direction. However, the equatorial direction receives a larger shear stress. Elasticity of typical cements allows “acceptable migration” due to the application of force, but when a cement's coefficient of elasticity is reached, the cement will fail with significant loosening, requiring a revision. Other factors that can contribute to cement failure are:
- 1. Variance in quality of manufactured cement—Quality control
- 2. Variance in bone composition from one individual to another, which could mean a difference in adhesion
- 3. Variance in operation technique.
- 4. Too much or too little cement applied.
- 5. Foreign material getting into the cement.
- 6. Different levels of patient activity may exert significantly higher amounts of force on the shell, causing varying degrees of migration.
Multiple embodiments of femoral resurfacing apparatus (including a femoral cap or shell, hereinafter “cap”) and fixation methods are disclosed that may require less bone removal than prior art caps and methods; they may also maintain the naturally occurring femoral head shape, to accept and evenly distribute applied and reactionary forces to the femur and lessen the potential for shearing and loosening of the cap. Methods of fixation may employ different approaches to absorb a portion of the applied and reactionary shearing forces generated by highly active patients, thus reducing the possibility of loosening (a principal cause of hip joint replacement failure).
In one method, mechanical fixation uses internal metal non-shear bars (e.g., three non-shear bars) that are 5-8 mm wide and about 4 mm deep; slots cut into the femoral ball accommodate the non-shear bars. The non-shear bars are an integral part of a hemispherical femoral cap, and reinforce and strengthen the cap to withstand shear forces many times those which are generated by vigorous activity. Therefore, this method of fixation prevents lateral and longitudinal rotation of the cap, while utilizing only two components that can shear or loosen (e.g., the cap and the bone). Accordingly, the cap can separate from the femoral ball in only one direction: due northerly, that is, straight off the femoral ball without rotation. This direction of separation may be mechanically prevented by metal spring loaded absorption fixators (SLAFs) that screw into the ends of the non-shear bars at their hemispherical ends. The SLAFs extend downward, for example 10-15 mm, whereupon they are separated from the side of the femoral ball by approximately 3 mm. Each spring loaded absorption fixator (SLAF) may be screwed into the femoral ball, pulling the tab against the side of the lower femoral ball. A load for each SLAF may be selected from a range of 30# to 130# to (1) provide a southerly retention force equal to, for example, one third of the patient's body weight on the cap, and (2) absorb a portion of the applied and reactionary forces received by the femoral ball similar to normal bone flexation. Additionally, the screws may be prevented from backing out by seating them deep enough within the SLAF so that a small flat metal anti-back out tab can be inserted into a slot running parallel to the head surface of each screw. Once this anti-back out tab is inserted into the slot, it may drop down into a position lower than the slot itself, so that it can not come out without the use of special removal tools. The anti-back out tab sits on top of the head of the screw to prevent back out of the screw. In addition, threads of the bone screws may be notched so that, once in place, bone will grow into the notches, providing a back up anti-back out screw fixation method. The lower or southerly ends of the SLAFs may also be coated with hydroxyapatite porocast, or other materials, to create fixation via bone ingrowth.
Another method of preventing a separation or loosening of a cap in a northerly or straight off non-rotational direction is by bone-to-bone growth through gear tooth shaped teeth cast into the bottom surface of the non-shear bars starting northerly about 8 mm from the hemispherical end of each bar and running about 15 mm down each non-shear bar. Each tooth is about 2 mm deep and 2 mm wide. A coating with hydroxyapatite porocast reduces the depth and width to about 1 mm, providing for substantial purchase through bone growth into the teeth from three directions.
A third method of fixation may employ a coating of the interior of the shell with hydroxyapatite porocast, or similar bone ingrowth fixation material, to prevent separation or loosening of the cap in all directions.
In one non-limiting example of a total hip joint replacement operation, access to the hip joint is achieved through separation of the trochanter, which protrudes from the upper portion of the upper leg bone (the femur) from the rest of the leg, together with dislocation of the hip joint itself. After dislocation, the femoral ball is reamed down to accommodate a hemispherical, hollow cap that has approximately the same outside diameter as the patient's (pre-ream) femoral ball. Upon completion of the reaming process, the femoral ball remains substantially hemispherical, with its diameter and surface reduced by 4 mm to 5 mm in order to accommodate the metal alloy femoral cap. Additionally, slots are cut longitudinally an equal distance apart in the femoral ball, to accommodate the non-shear bars within the cap that run perpendicular to the equatorial edge or lip of the cap north/south from its polar orientation a distance of 25 mm to 30 mm. With the non-shear bars, the cap cannot separate from the femoral ball through rotation, laterally or longitudinally. The cap is also mechanically fixed by SLAFs screwed to the internal longitudinal cap's non-shear bars, and subsequently to the femoral ball, by full thread cancellous screws about 4 mm long; thus securing the cap so that it can not separate from the femoral ball by traveling in a non-rotational direction due north. Additionally, the underside of the lower end of the SLAFs may be coated with hydroxyapatite porocast to provide a second fixation method for the SLAFs, through bone growth into a hydroxyapatite porocast surface. Additionally, the internal longitudinal non-shear bars' lower surfaces, which face the bottom of the slots, may include gear teeth that allow bone to grow more substantially into the teeth, providing a third method of fixing the cap to the femoral ball, so that the cap can not move or separate from the femoral ball in a straight cephalad northerly direction. Further fixation may be achieved by coating the inside surface of the cap between the non-shear bars with hydroxyapatite porocast, or similar materials, to fixate the cap to the femoral head by bone ingrowth.
In one embodiment, a femoral head resurfacing apparatus includes (a) a cap with a substantially hemispherical shape of substantially uniform thickness, and (b) one or more non-shear fixation bars that insert into respective longitudinal slots cut into the femoral head, so that the cap remains substantially immovable other than due northerly. The non-shear fixation bars may include a plurality of gear shaped teeth to encourage bone ingrowth between the teeth.
In another embodiment, a femoral head resurfacing apparatus includes (a) a chromium-cobalt-molybdenum alloy cap having a substantially hemispherical shape of substantially uniform thickness, and (b) a plurality of non-shear fixation bars for insertion into respective longitudinal slots cut into the femoral head, so that the cap remains substantially immovable other than due northerly. The cap may interface with a metal cup socket maintaining a clearance tolerance of approximately 0.01 mm.
In another embodiment, a femoral head resurfacing apparatus includes (a) a cap having a substantially hemispherical shape of substantially uniform thickness, and (b) a plurality of non-shear fixation bars for insertion into respective longitudinal slots cut into the femoral head, so that the cap remains substantially immovable other than due northerly. The cap may be fixed by a plurality of metal spring loaded absorption fixators, each fixator being screwed into the cap and femoral head, to prevent loosening of the cap.
In another embodiment, a method of resurfacing the femoral head of a hip joint includes removing longitudinal slots of bone in the femoral head, and attaching a hemispherical cap to the head. The cap has non-shear fixation bars that engage with the slots.
In another embodiment, a hollow femoral head resurfacing cap includes non-shear bars for mating engagement with longitudinal slots within a femoral head, and spring-loaded absorption fixators for attaching the cap to the head.
In another embodiment, a method for capping a femoral head with a shell includes inserting a centering device in a centering hole of the femoral head, drilling holes about the centering hole, and inserting fin-like dowels, which are a part of the centering hole post, into the holes to prevent migration of the shell. The three hole diameters may vary in size from about 3 mm to 12 mm; their depth may be about 6 mm.
In another embodiment, a femoral head resurfacing apparatus includes (a) a cap of hemispherical shape, (b) a center post for insertion into a center hole in the femoral head; and (c) stabilization structure for insertion into one or more corresponding holes in the femoral head, so that the cap remains substantially immovable other than due northerly
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
When inserted into slot 156, anti-backout tab 162 first straightens, then snaps back to its original bent shape when proximal end 166 moves past a lip 182 (see
Although
Although
The changes described above, and others, may be made in the femoral head resurfacing apparatus and methods described herein without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between.
Claims
1. Femoral head resurfacing apparatus, comprising
- a cap of substantially hemispherical shape;
- a center post for insertion into a center hole in the femoral head, the center post forming one or more grooves; and
- stabilizing structure for insertion into one or more corresponding holes in the femoral head, the stabilizing structure comprising one or more dowels, each dowel configured to fit into a corresponding groove;
- wherein the cap remains substantially immovable other than due northerly.
2. Apparatus of claim 1, an inner surface of the cap comprising hydroxyapatite porocast to promote bone ingrowth-penetration into the cap and facilitate fixation of the cap to the femoral head.
3. Apparatus of claim 1, the cap being sized to minimize bone removal from the femoral head.
4. A method for capping a femoral head with a shell, comprising the steps of:
- drilling a central hole in the femoral head;
- forming one or more additional openings in the femoral head;
- inserting a centering post of the shell into the central hole; and
- inserting stabilizing structure, which is formed monolithically with the centering post, into the one or more additional openings to prevent migration of the shell.
5. Femoral head resurfacing apparatus, comprising:
- a cap of substantially hemispherical shape;
- a centering post for insertion into a central hole in the femoral head; and
- fins, extending from the centering post, for insertion into one or more corresponding openings in the femoral head;
- wherein the cap remains substantially immovable other than due northerly.
6. Apparatus of claim 1, the center post being 3 to 4 centimeters long.
7. Apparatus of claim 1, a diameter of the one or more dowels being 10% to 50% of a diameter of the center post.
8. Apparatus of claim 1, the one or more dowels comprising a plurality of dowels, the one or more grooves comprising a plurality of grooves such that each dowel corresponds to a selected one of the grooves.
9. Apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of the dowels is sized differently than at least one other of the dowels.
10. Method of claim 4, further comprising a step of down size reaming the femoral head so that the femoral head fits within the shell.
11. Method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the steps of drilling and forming comprises utilizing a template.
12. Apparatus of claim 5, one or more of an inner surface of the cap, a surface of the centering post and a surface of the fins comprising hydroxyapatite porocast.
13. A method for capping a femoral head with a shell, comprising the steps of:
- drilling a central hole in the femoral head;
- drilling one or more secondary holes in the femoral head such that each of the secondary holes adjoins the central hole;
- inserting, for each of the one or more secondary holes, a corresponding dowel into a corresponding groove formed by a centering post of the shell;
- inserting the centering post into the central hole; and
- inserting each corresponding dowel into each of the one or more secondary holes, to prevent migration of the shell.
14. Method of claim 13, further comprising a step of down size reaming the femoral head so that the femoral head fits within the shell.
15. Method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the steps of drilling the central hole and drilling one or more secondary holes comprises utilizing a template.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 24, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 16, 2007
Inventor: Robert Evans (Chautauqua, NY)
Application Number: 11/739,533
International Classification: A61F 2/32 (20060101);