The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 04, 1981
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1979
Harry T Treace, Forest Hill, TN (US);
Richards Manufacturing Company, Inc., Memphis, TN (US);
Abstract
An improvement in an otic prosthesis of the type used in ossicular reconstruction of the sound-conducting mechanism of the middle ear is provided. The improvement comprises a movable joint which connects a head portion and a shaft portion whereby there is provided a flexible, variably angled prosthesis, which can be readily set in position in the middle ear against the tympanum during surgical implantation. The movable joint permits the so-connected shaft portion to move in at least a single plane normal to the head portion and can itself be readily set against either retained bony elements of the sound-conducting mechanism or against tissue grafted into the aperture (oval window) between the middle and the inner ear. The movable joint is responsive to tympanic vibrations and the prosthesis exerts a minimized pressure on the tympanum during surgical implantation and thereafter it also resists dislodgment within or extrusion from the middle ear. The mounting means is characteristically a ball-and-socket joint whereby the ball is attached to the shaft and the socket to the head. The head portion of the prosthesis is preferably constructed entirely of a porous, biocompatible material which enables rapid tissue ingrowth. The shaft portion, in a preferred embodiment, is also formed of the same porous material thus enabling tissue ingrowth at the oval window-engaging end of the device.