Sulzer Medizinaltechnik Ag

Sulzer Orthopaedie Ag

Sulzer Brothers Limited

Jurg Oehy

Kurt Bider

Martin Schoch

Rudolf Koch

Walter Gross

Nikolaus Bohler

Mustafa Yurtsever

Wolfgang Schwagerl

Johann U Steiger

Gunther Zeiler

The invention shows a hip joint socket and its manufacture, with the hip joint socket including a thin walled metallic outer shell with anchoring pins which is firmly connected to an inner shell of plastic. Since the bearing surface of the inner shell is not produced until after the assembly, a high accuracy of shape of the bearing surface results together with a relatively elastic outer shell and with good anchoring aids for a primary anchoring.

Twin-shelled artificial hip joint and its manufacture

The tibia platform (1) contains a joint support (5) and an anchoring part (4) with passage openings (12) for fastening elements (14) for fastening the anchoring part (4) to the tibia bone (3). The passage openings (12) are each executed with a femur-side, upper countersink (25). At least one passage opening (12) not used for the fastening is provided with a closure plug (15) which can be inserted from above, which is executed with a supporting surface (16a) running around this sealing surface (16a) and can be braced in the countersink (25). The closure plug (15) contains a number of spring tongues (18) which can be introduced into the relevant passage opening (12) and which form a snap connection with the wall of the passage opening (12), and a central cylindrical protusion (17) which is provided with a blind bore (17a) open upwards for receiving a setting tool (20). In this manner a secure sealing of the passage opening (12) is attained and the movement into the tibia bone bed of abraded particles possibly originating between the anchoring part (4) and the joint support (5) is prevented.

Tibia platform for a knee joint prosthesis and knee joint prosthesis

The invention shows process steps for the production of attachment faces (3) on metal joint implants, which stand at an angle 0&lt;a&lt;90 degrees against the insertion and attachment direction (40) and comprise cupular shoulder portions (14), which are opened for attachment against the insertion and attachment direction (40). In a first step recesses (6) and shoulders (8) are produced by machining, casting or pressing in the attachment faces (3) of a blank (2) at right angles to the insertion and attachment direction (40). The shoulders (8) have an acute-angled cross section, have a height of between 0.3 and 2 mm and a spacing (31) which corresponds roughly to the twice the height (10). In a second step troughs (15) through the shoulders (8) are produced by a pressing tool (13), which comprises counter faces to the attachment faces (3), which counter faces are provided with protruding ribs (26) which stand with their center planes perpendicular to the counterface and parallel to the insertion and attachment direction (40). The edges (17) of the shoulder portions (14) are deformed and cupular shapes (18) opened against the insertion and attachment direction (40) are produced for support.

Joint implant with self-engaging attachment surface

The outer shell (5) comprises a plurality of through-holes (12) which are provided for the receipt of fastening elements (14) for the fastening of the outer shell (5) in a bone seat (4) and which are each provided with an inner counter-sink (25). The through-holes (12) which are free of fastening elements (14) are each provided with a sealing plug (15) which is insertable from the inside outwards and designed with a sealing surface supportable in and extending around the counter-sink (25). The sealing plug (15) comprises a number of spiral springs (18) which are insertable into the relevant through-hole (12) and form a snap connection with the wall of the through-hole (12), as well as a hat-like central projection (17) disposed separated from the spiral springs (18) which is provided with an inwardly open blind bore (17a) for the receipt of a placement tool (20) screwable into it. A reliable sealing off of the through-holes (12) is thus achieved and escape into the bone seat 4 of any rubbed-off particles produced within the outer shell 5 is prevented.

Outer shell for an at least two-shell joint socket of a hip joint

An artificial acetabulum has a thin metallic outer shell and a relatively thick metallic inner shell which is secured to the outer shell via a damping ring located at the peripheral edges of the shells. The outer shell has a thickness of less than one-fifth of the thickness of the inner shell to compensate for stresses in the direction of the osseous tissue during the transfer of force peaks. A centering pin is provided on the inner shell and an annular shoulder is provided on the outer shell about the centering pin to provide further elastic damping of forces transmitted between the shells.

Growing community of inventors

Winterthur, Switzerland

Jurg Oehy