Amedica Corporation

Gas Research Institute

Ceramatec, Inc.

Other

Sofco L.p.

Bloxr Solutions, LLC

Xenocor, Inc.

Bloxr Corporation

Triad Surgical Technologies, Inc.

Bofa, LLC

Ashok Khandkar

Singaravelu Elangovan

Ramaswamy Lakshminarayanan

Joseph Jay Hartvigsen

Aaron A Hofmann

Darrel S Brodke

Mahendra Rao

Prataprai R Chowdhary

Prataprai Chowdhary

Christopher E Milliken

K Scott Ely

John P Bernero

Lane Gearle Brooks

John Langell

David W Prouse

S Elangovan

Sudhir V Nadkarni

Kelly A Faddis

Christopher Joseph Pratt

Dennis James Muhlestein

Robert Phillip Merrill

Borescopes and related methods that are configured to preclude or minimize imaging in hazy and/or smoky conditions. In some embodiments, the borescope may comprise a shaft made up, at least in part, of a material that is electrically non-conductive material and/or thermally non-conductive, and a tip positioned at a distal end of the shaft. The tip may comprise at least one light source, such as an LED or array of LEDS, configured to deliver electromagnetic radiation in which no more than about 20% of the total spectral output is in the infrared spectrum. The electromagnetic radiation delivered from the at least one light source may comprise a spectrum having at least one of a local maximum and a global maximum between about 450 and about 495 nm. The at least one light source may be configured to deliver between about 20 and about 75 lumens of visible light.

Non-conductive borescopes and related imaging techniques

A radio-opaque composition is formulated to enable a clinician to apply custom markings to a surface, such as a patient's skin or a surgical drape on the patient. More specifically, the radio-opaque composition may be used to write on the surface. The markings may be well-defined and contrast with the surface to which they are applied. Such a composition may include a liquid radio-opaque component that includes one or more radio-opaque materials that have been dissolved in a solvent, as well as a solid radio-opaque component with particles of one or more radio-opaque materials dispersed throughout a carrier, such as the solvent of the liquid radio-opaque component. Marking apparatuses that may be used to write with the radio-opaque composition are also disclosed, as are methods for using the radio-opaque composition.

Radio-opaque writing instruments and methods of use

The present invention relates to a shield for radiation attenuation. The shield includes a carrier suitable for topical application on human tissue, such as skin. The carrier includes an active ingredient that is homogenously dispersed throughout the carrier. The active ingredient includes an element suitable for attenuating radiation and having a high atomic number.

Radiation protection system

Radiation shields and radiation shielding systems for attenuating ionizing radiation include two or more attenuating elements, such as layers. The two or more attenuating elements may include different attenuating materials. The two or more attenuating elements may be configured to attenuate ionizing radiation differently than one another. In some embodiments, different attenuating elements may be configured for use with different energies or ranges of energies of ionizing radiation. The concurrent use of two or more layers or other attenuating elements may optimize the ability of a radiation shield to attenuating ionizing radiation. Systems and methods for attenuating ionizing radiation are also disclosed.

Apparatuses and methods employing multiple layers for attenuating ionizing radiation

A total disc implant (TDI) is provided for total replacement of a spinal disc or discs in a human patient or other mammal, wherein the TDI is designed to maintain a substantially full range of natural motion (ROM) following implantation. The TDI generally comprises, in one preferred form, upper and lower end plates for affixation to adjacent vertebral bodies, with an intervening insert disposed therebetween. The end plates each include elongated part-cylindrical surfaces oriented, generally perpendicular to each other, with one of the surfaces extending in an anterior-posterior direction and the other extending in a medial-lateral direction. The intervening insert defines concave upper and lower part-cylindrical seats oriented, for respectively engaging these part-cylindrical surfaces, wherein these part-cylindrical seats are defined by offset radii to include a somewhat flattened central base region merging smoothly with upwardly curving radiused sides.

Total disc implant

An improved hip prosthesis includes an acetabular cup bearing component constructed from a relatively hard and high strength ceramic material for articulation with a ball-shaped femoral head component which may be constructed from a compatible ceramic or metal material. In one form, the acetabular cup further includes a ceramic porous bone ingrowth surface adhered thereto for secure ingrowth attachment to natural patient bone.

Hip prosthesis with monoblock ceramic acetabular cup

A prosthesis for articulation (e.g., hip or joint prosthesis) is provided, which includes a pair of articulation components respectively defining a pair of articulation surfaces movably engageable with each other. In some embodiments, each of the articulation surfaces is formed from a biocompatible ceramic (e.g., doped silicon nitride ceramic) having a flexural strength greater than about 700 Mega-Pascal (MPa) and a toughness greater than about 7 Mega-Pascal root meter (MPam).

Ceramic-ceramic articulation surface implants

A total disc implant (TDI) is provided for total replacement of a spinal disc or discs in a human patient or other mammal, wherein the TDI is designed to maintain a substantially full range of natural motion (ROM) following implantation. The TDI generally comprises, in one preferred form, upper and lower end plates for affixation to adjacent vertebral bodies, with an intervening insert disposed therebetween. The end plates each include elongated part-cylindrical surfaces oriented generally perpendicular to each other, with one of said surfaces extending in an anterior-posterior direction and the other extending in a medial-lateral direction. The intervening insert defines concave upper and lower part-cylindrical seats oriented for respectively engaging these part-cylindrical surfaces, wherein these part-cylindrical seats are defined by offset radii to include a somewhat flattened central base region merging smoothly with upwardly curving radiused sides.

A ceramic-metal composite articulation is provided with substantial elimination of wear debris, wherein a ceramic material is provided with superior mechanical properties tailored for articulating with ceramic articulations having high flexural strength (greater than about 700 MPa), high fracture toughness (greater than about 7 MPam) and a high Weibull modulus (greater than about 20), in comparison with presently available bio-ceramics such as alumina or zirconia. The mechanical property enhancement enables ceramic materials with greater reliability and significantly reduced in-vivo fracture risk to be obtained. Preliminary in-vitro wear performance, to several million cycles using established test protocols, of head/cup components in a prosthetic hip joint made from these ceramics also demonstrates the ultra low wear characteristics. These material properties substantially eliminate polyethylene (PE) wear debris mediated implant failures by offering an optimal combination of bio-mechanical safety and reliability with ultra low wear performance.

Polymer-ceramic articulation

An improved knee prosthesis includes a ceramic tibial component for articulation with natural or prosthetic (re-surfaced) femoral surfaces. The ceramic tibial component is provided in the form of a ceramic monoblock adapted for fixation relative to the patient's tibial bone, or alternately in the form of a ceramic bearing insert component carried by a tibial baseplate member which is adapted in turn for fixation relative to tibial bone. In either form, the ceramic tibial component includes at least one upwardly concave articulation surface for movable bearing engagement by a generally convex or condylar shaped femoral articulation surface. The ceramic tibial component provides improved wear characteristics with extended service life.

Knee prosthesis with ceramic tibial component

Growing community of inventors

Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Ashok Khandkar