Zimmer Gmbh

Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC

Hallie E Brinkerhuff

Dirk Pletcher

John Knight

Ray Gsell

Alicia Rufner

Werner Schneider

Toni Rowe

Michael E Hawkins

Kevin T Stone

Cheryl Renee Blanchard

Antony J Lozier

Brian H Thomas

Daniel P Murphy

Erin M Johnson

Michael Giordano

Ralf Klabunde

Matthew P Prygoski

J Craig Fryman

Daniel W Buehler

Alex McMullen

Daniel Buehler

Disclosed are systems and methods for performing soft tissue repair by delivering a suture through the soft tissue and underlying bone at two or more fixation points that can be spaced apart from each other and connected by the suture on the surface of the soft tissue. The two or more fixation points and the suture connected there between can be a continuous strand of suture, which can form a stitching assembly that can provide sufficient fixation in the bone and minimize disruption to the soft tissue and bone. In an example, the suture can be delivered into the bone using one or more implants that can catch the suture to drive the suture through the tissue and into the bone. The one or more implants can include structural features to aid in securing the suture to the implant. In an example, the suture can include structural features or be formed of a material to aid in fixation of the suture in the bone.

Methods and systems for stitching soft tissue to bone

An antioxidant combined with UHMWPE prior to subjecting the UHMWPE to crosslinking irradiation. In one exemplary embodiment, the antioxidant is tocopherol. After the antioxidant is combined with the UHMWPE, the resulting blend may be formed into slabs, bar stock, and/or incorporated into a substrate, such as a metal, for example. The resulting product may then be subjected to crosslinking irradiation. In one exemplary embodiment, the UHMWPE blend is preheated prior to subjecting the same to crosslinking irradiation. Once irradiated, the UHMWPE blended product may be machined, packaged, and sterilized in accordance with conventional techniques.

Antioxidant stabilized crosslinked ultra high molecular weight polyethylene for medical device applications

Antioxidant stabilized crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene for medical device applications

The present disclosure relates to an orthopedic implant that may be used to repair and/or replace focal defects in an individual's articular cartilage. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a unitary orthopedic implant that includes a bone contacting layer and an articulating layer. In exemplary embodiments, the bone contacting layer may have a thickness of between about 1 millimeter and 3 millimeters. In exemplary embodiments, the articulating layer may have a thickness of between about 1 millimeter and 2 millimeters. As a result, the orthopedic implant may have an overall thickness of between about 2 millimeters and about 5 millimeters.

Unitary orthopedic implant

The present invention relates to a spacer, such as a polymeric spacer, for use with an implant device, e.g., a bone plate, for splinting a fracture of a bone. The spacer includes a body defining a bone healing surface, wherein at least a portion of the bone healing surface has a coating which includes a therapeutic agent, a polymeric carrier, and a buffer medium to stimulate bone growth and/or promote fracture healing. A kit is also disclosed which includes one or more of the spacers, at least one bone plate, and optionally one or more bone screws for securing the bone plate to bone. A method for promoting fracture healing in bone is further disclosed which includes securely situating a coated portion of the spacer adjacent bone.

Spacer with a coating thereon for use with an implant device

The present invention provides hydrogel coated, implantable medical devices and methods of coating hydrogels onto implantable medical devices. In one embodiment, a hydrogel coated medical device is formed by physically treating a surface of the medical device, chemically treating the surface, applying a hydrogel precursor and then crosslinking the hydrogel precursor to form a hydrogel coating on the surface of the medical device. The present invention may be particularly applicable for coating articulating surfaces on implantable medical devices such as artificial joints.

Methods of preparing hydrogel coatings

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Winona Lake, IN, United States of America

Hallie E Brinkerhuff