Woodwelding Ag

Thomas Knecht

Jörg Mayer

Marcel Aeschlimann

Laurent Torriani

Philipp Seiler

Urs Weber

Stephanie Mehl

Christopher Rast

Andrea Müller

Milica Berra

Andrea Mueller

Mario Lehmann

Barbara Froesch

Jens Langhoff

Milicia Berra

An implant or endoprosthesis suitable to be implanted in human or animal tissue includes two (or more than two) parts to be joined in situ. Each one of the parts includes a joining location, the two joining locations facing each other when the device parts are positioned for being joined together, wherein one of the joining locations includes a material which is liquefiable by mechanical vibration and the other one of the joining locations includes a material which is not liquefiable by mechanical vibration and a structure (e.g. undercut cavities or protrusions) suitable for forming a positive fit connection with the liquefiable material. The joining process is effected by pressing the two device parts against each other and by applying ultrasonic vibration to one of the device parts when the two parts are positioned relative to each other such that the two joining locations are in contact with each other.

Device to be implanted in human or animal tissue and method for implanting and assembling the device

For fixedly implanting a device for material or signal delivery or acquisition or a part of such a device in a human or animal body, an opening is provided in hard tissue of the body, the opening reaching through a hard tissue layer, e.g. through a cortical bone layer into cancellous bone underneath. The device includes a plug portion and/or a cover portion which includes a ring of a material having thermoplastic properties extending around the plug portion or on a tissue facing surface of the cover portion. The opening provided in the hard tissue has a cross section at least in the area of its mouth that is adapted to the plug or cover portion such that the plug portion can be introduced through the mouth of the opening or the cover portion can be positioned over the mouth of the opening such that the ring extends around the opening, along its wall and/or on the hard tissue surface around its mouth.

Device to be implanted in a human or animal body for material or signal delivery or acquisition within the body, and method of implanting the device

A surgical method is provided, the method including the steps of: providing an artificial or allograft flexible planar structure; providing an implant, the implant including material liquefiable by mechanical oscillation, exposing a surface region of hard tissue or hard tissue substitute material; positioning the implant on an exposed area of the hard tissue or hard tissue substitute material; and fastening the implant to the hard tissue or hard tissue substitute material by impinging the proximal end of the implant with mechanical oscillation and simultaneously pressing the implant against the hard tissue or hard tissue substitute material while the distal end of the implant protrudes into a cavity of the hard tissue or hard tissue substitute material and regions of the liquefiable material are in contact with the hard tissue or hard tissue substitute material, and thereby liquefying at least a portion of the liquefiable material, and letting the liquefiable material resolidify.

Surgical method, kit of parts, and implant

For fixedly implanting a device for material or signal delivery or acquisition or a part of such a device in a human or animal body, an opening is provided in hard tissue of the body, the opening reaching through a hard tissue layer, e.g. through a cortical bone layer into cancellous bone underneath. The device includes a plug portion (P) and/or a cover portion (C) which includes a ring of a material having thermoplastic properties extending around the plug portion (P) or on a tissue facing surface of the cover portion (C). The opening provided in the hard tissue has a cross section at least in the area of its mouth that is adapted to the plug or cover portion such that the plug portion (P) can be introduced through the mouth of the opening or the cover portion (C) can be positioned over the mouth of the opening such that the ring extends around the opening, along its wall and/or on the hard tissue surface around its mouth.

Growing community of inventors

Hausen, Switzerland

Thomas Knecht