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:
Dec. 27, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 07, 2005
Chad Morgan, West Grove, PA (US);
Harry T. Hall, Iv, Chester Springs, PA (US);
James M. Green, Portland, OR (US);
Geoffrey Flexner, Chester Springs, PA (US);
Charles E. Geltz, Drexel Hill, PA (US);
Chad Morgan, West Grove, PA (US);
Harry T. Hall, IV, Chester Springs, PA (US);
James M. Green, Portland, OR (US);
Geoffrey Flexner, Chester Springs, PA (US);
Charles E. Geltz, Drexel Hill, PA (US);
Synthes USA, LLC, West Chester, PA (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to an orthopaedic implant, such as a bone plate, for the fixation of bone where the implant also has at least one microchip and at least one sensor connected to the microchip. The sensor or sensors are configured to receive physical stimulus from a portion of the implant or the patient's tissue such as temperature, pressure, and strain. The information received from the sensor or sensors is gathered by the microchip and transmitted to a receiver, such as a personal computer, outside the patient. This information enables doctors to diagnose the useful life of the implant, the load sharing of the bone plate, and possible complications typically associated with orthopaedic implants such as infection, fracture non-union, and fatigue. The implant may also have one or more electrodes located on its surface which emit an electric current to stimulate healing of the broken or fractured bone.