Biomet Manufacturing Corporation

Othy, Inc.

Biomet, Inc.

Brian David Salyer

Jeffrey H Nycz

Jacy C Hoeppner

Robert G Metzger

John Robert White

H Gene Hawkins

David W Schroeder

Jordan H Freedman

James E Gunter

David R Brown

Jon C Serbousek

Gregory David VanDeWater

Joel C Higgins

Ryan John Schoenefeld

Paul E Salyer

John E Hand

Michael Canada

Rory Kiphart

David Wayne Schroeder

A system for implanting a prosthetic device with an opening into a bone includes a plug that is removably received within the opening of the prosthetic device. The system also includes a bone removal tool that advances into the bone from outside the bone and that removes a portion of the bone while advancing into the bone to reveal the plug. The bone removal tool includes a plug engaging portion that engages with the plug. The bone removal tool at least partially removes the plug from the opening of the prosthetic device while engaged with the plug. Moreover, the system includes an alignment system that detects whether the bone removal tool and the plug are substantially axially aligned.

Intramedullary rod implantation system

A tibial anchoring assembly comprising a tibial tray and an anchor. The tibial tray comprises an upper surface for engagement with a femoral component and a lower surface for engagement with a tibia bone. The lower surface defines at least one retaining aperture. The anchor is adapted to compressively couple the tibial tray to the tibia bone. The anchor comprises a longitudinally extending base, a top section coupled to the base and having a shape to be received into the retaining aperture of the tibial tray, and a flexible blade member protruding from the base. The flexible blade member is adapted to be flexed in tension while being inserted into the tibia bone, thereby exerting a compressive force between the tibial tray and the tibia bone. A deforming fixture may be used to shape the flexible blade member. Methods of affixing an implant to a bone structure are also provided.

Flex anchor for attaching a prosthesis to bone

Solid-state deformation processing of crosslinked high molecular weight polymers such as UHMWPE, for example by extrusion below the melt transition, produces materials with a combination of high tensile strength and high oxidative stability. The materials are especially suitable for use as bearing components in artificial hip and other implants. Treated bulk materials are anisotropic, with enhanced strength oriented along the axial direction. The material is oxidatively stable even after four weeks of accelerated aging in a pressure vessel containing five atmospheres of oxygen (ASTM F2003). Because of its oxidative stability, the deformation processed material is a suitable candidate for air-permeable packaging and gas sterilization, which has thus far been reserved for remelted crosslinked UHMWPE.

Solid state deformation processing of crosslinked high molecular weight polymeric materials

Solid-state deformation processing of crosslinked high molecular weight polymers such as UHMWPE, for example by extrusion below the melt transition, produces materials with a desirable combination of physical and chemical properties. Crosslinked bulk materials are heated to a compression deformable temperature, and pressure is applied to change a transverse dimension of the material. After cooling and stress relieving, a treated bulk material is obtained that has enhanced tensile strength in the axial direction orthogonal to the dimension change. In preferred embodiments, medical implant bearing materials are machined from the treated bulk material with the in vivo load bearing axis substantially parallel or coincident with the axial direction of the treated bulk material.

A radiation crosslinked (50 kGy), pressure-treated UHMWPE material has been developed by applying compressive force on a crosslinked polymer in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction. The deformed material is then cooled while held in a deformed state. The resulting material is anisotropic, with enhanced strength oriented along the axial direction. The directionally engineered material is oxidatively stable even after four weeks of accelerated aging in a pressure vessel containing five atmospheres of oxygen (ASTM F2003). Because of its oxidative stability, the deformation processed material is a suitable candidate for air-permeable packaging and gas sterilization, which has thus far been reserved for remelted highly crosslinked UHMWPEs.

Crosslinked polymeric material with enhanced strength and process for manufacturing

A method and apparatus for enabling access to an intramedullary canal of a femur through a femoral knee joint prosthesis includes a first condylar portion and a second condylar portion. The first condylar portion has a first femoral bearing surface and the second condylar portion has a second femoral bearing surface. An inner condylar portion extends between the first condylar portion and the second condylar portion and defines an opening passing therethrough. A seal member is operable to substantially seal the opening such that the seal member is further operable to be opened to enable access to the intramedullary canal of the femur without having to remove the femoral knee joint prosthesis from the femur. A method for enabling access to the intramedullary canal of the femur through the femoral knee joint prosthesis is also provided.

Method and apparatus for enabling access to an intramedullary canal of a femur through a femoral knee joint prosthesis

A method and apparatus for enabling access to an intramedullary canal of a femur through a femoral knee joint prosthesis includes a first condylar portion and a second condylar portion. The first condylar portion has a first femoral bearing surface and the second condylar portion has a second femoral bearing surface. An intercondylar portion extends between the first condylar portion and the second condylar portion and defines an opening passing therethrough. A seal member is operable to substantially seal the opening such that the seal member is further operable to be opened to enable access to the intramedullary canal of the femur without having to remove the femoral knee joint prosthesis from the femur. A method for enabling access to the intramedullary canal of the femur through the femoral knee joint prosthesis is also provided.

Method and apparatus for enabling access to an intramedullary canal of a

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Warsaw, IN, United States of America

Brian David Salyer