| Cartilage resurfacing implant -> Monitor Keywords |
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Cartilage resurfacing implantRelated Patent Categories: Prosthesis (i.e., Artificial Body Members), Parts Thereof, Or Aids And Accessories Therefor, Implantable Prosthesis, MeniscusCartilage resurfacing implant description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070179607, Cartilage resurfacing implant. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to implants for skeletal joints. In particular, the invention relates to implants for repairing cartilage defects in the articular surface of skeletal joints. BACKGROUND [0002] Degenerative and traumatic damage to the articular cartilage of skeletal joints can result in pain and restricted motion. Prosthetic joint replacement surgery is frequently utilized to alleviate the pain and restore joint function. During this surgery, one or more of the articulating surfaces of the joint are replaced with prosthetic bearing components. The replacement components typically include a portion for anchoring the implant adjacent to the joint and a portion for articulating with opposing joint surfaces. For example, during knee replacement surgery, an incision is made into the knee joint to expose the joint. Portions of the articular surfaces of the tibia and femur are removed and artificial joint components are positioned to replace the removed portions. In a total knee replacement, all of the articulating compartments of the joint are replaced with prosthetic components. However, often only one compartment of the knee joint, typically the medial compartment, is impaired. In a unicondylar knee replacement, only the damaged compartment is repaired with prosthetic bearing components. In an even less invasive approach, where the damage is limited to isolated defects in the articular cartilage, it has been proposed to replace just the articular cartilage in the immediate vicinity of the defect. SUMMARY [0003] The present invention provides a cartilage resurfacing implant for replacing cartilage of an articulating portion of a bone at a skeletal joint having opposed joint surfaces. The cartilage resurfacing implant includes a body having a bearing surface and a bone interface. The bearing surface is able to support articulation with an opposing joint surface. [0004] In one aspect of the invention, the implant includes a flexible body. [0005] In another aspect of the invention, the implant includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers embedded in the body and extending from the bone interface to define a bone attachment. [0006] In another aspect of the invention, the implant includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers embedded in the body and extending from the bone interface to define flexible cables securable to the bone. [0007] In another aspect of the invention, the implant includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers embedded in the body and extending from the bone interface to define slender bristles distributed across the bone interface able to spread the fixation load evenly over the bone interface. [0008] In another aspect of the invention, the implant includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers embedded in the body and extending from the bone interface to define one component of a hook-and-loop fastener arrangement. [0009] In another aspect of the invention, the implant includes a plurality of expandable pegs projecting from the bone interface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] Various examples of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the appended drawings. These drawings depict only illustrative examples of the invention and are not to be considered limiting of its scope. [0011] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an articulating bone end repaired with an illustrative cartilage resurfacing implant according to the present invention; [0012] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the cartilage resurfacing implant of FIG. 1; [0013] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the cartilage resurfacing implant of FIG. 1; and [0014] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the cartilage resurfacing implant of FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES [0015] Embodiments of a cartilage resurfacing implant include a body having a bearing surface and a bone interface. The implant may function as a replacement for damaged or diseased cartilage of a skeletal joint to sustain continued joint function. The implant may be used to replace a portion of any skeletal joint including, but not limited to, joints of the hip, knee, shoulder, spine, elbow, wrist, ankle, jaw, and digits. The implant may be configured to replace a relatively small defect within the joint, an entire compartment of the joint, or the total joint. [0016] The bearing surface may be made of any material suitable for articulation with natural or prosthetic opposing bearing surfaces. Preferably the bearing material is resilient to facilitate intraoperative flexing, cutting, and/or otherwise shaping of the bearing surface to fit a surgical site. The bearing surface may include polyolefins, polyesters, polyimides, polyamides, polyacrylates, polyketones, and/or other suitable materials. For example the bearing surface may include ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. The bearing surface may include a hydrogel having a three dimensional network of polymer chains with water filling the void space between the macromolecules. The hydrogel may include a water soluble polymer that is crosslinked to prevent its dissolution in water. The water content of the hydrogel may range from 20-80%. The high water content of the hydrogel results in a low coefficient of friction for the bearing due to hydrodynamic lubrication. Advantageously, as loads increase on the bearing component, the friction coefficient decreases as water forced from the hydrogel forms a lubricating film. The hydrogel may include natural or synthetic polymers. Examples of natural polymers include polyhyaluronic acid, alginate, polypeptide, collagen, elastin, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, chitin, and/or other suitable natural polymers and combinations thereof. Examples of synthetic polymers include polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, polyurethane, polyacrylonitrile, and/or other suitable synthetic polymers and combinations thereof. [0017] The bone interface provides an anchor for the implant. The bone interface may be defined by a unitary body or by a substrate embedded in the body. A substrate may be solid or porous. The bearing surface may attach to the substrate by bonding, mechanical fasteners, porous interdigitation, and/or other suitable attachment methods. For example, the substrate may include an open porous structure in which a portion of the bearing surface is integrated to attach the bearing surface to the substrate. The substrate may be configured to be cemented in place, to be press-fit in place, to receive tissue ingrowth, and/or to be anchored to tissue in any other suitable tissue anchoring configuration. For example, the substrate may include an open porous structure for placement adjacent to body tissue to receive tissue ingrowth to anchor the implant adjacent the tissue. A porous structure may be configured to promote hard and/or soft tissue ingrowth. The porous structures may be in form of an open cell foam, a woven structure, a grid, agglomerated particles, and/or other suitable structures and combinations thereof. [0018] The substrate may include any suitable material including, but not limited to, metals, polymers, ceramics, hydrogels and/or other suitable materials and combinations thereof. For example, a polymer substrate may include resorbable and/or non-resorbable polymers. Examples of resorbable polymers include polylactic acid polymers, polyglycolic acid polymers, and/or other suitable resorbable polymers. Examples of non-resorbable polymers include polyolefins, polyesters, polyimides, polyamides, polyacrylates, polyketones, and/or other suitable non-resorbable polymers. A metal substrate may include titanium, tantalum, stainless steel, and/or other suitable metals and alloys thereof. Preferably the substrate is relatively rigid to provide a suitable surface for hard tissue ingrowth. For example, the substrate may include a porous tantalum material having a structure similar to that of natural trabecular bone. Such a material is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,861 entitled "Open Cell Tantalum Structures For Cancellous Bone Implants And Cell And Tissue Receptors". The material is fabricated by vapor depositing tantalum into a porous matrix. The substrate may include protruding pegs or other bone engaging features to further enhance the connection of the substrate to tissue. [0019] The cartilage resurfacing implant may have a relatively high stiffness near a bone interface to enhance fixation of the implant to the rigid bone surface and a relatively low stiffness near the bearing surface to provide a compliant surface able to move with surrounding natural cartilage tissue. The implant may include a stiffness gradient from relatively high near the bone interface to relatively low near the bearing surface to gradually distribute stresses from the articulating surface to the bone interface and improve its delamination resistance. The cartilage resurfacing implant may include a unitary porous body. The body may include a separate porous substrate joined to the bearing surface. The implant may include a graded porosity that varies from relatively low porosity and high stiffness near the bone interface to relatively high porosity and low stiffness near the bearing surface. For example, a substrate, or a unitary body, may include a porous metal having relatively small pores near the bone interface and relatively large pores toward the bearing surface. Alternatively the substrate, or unitary body, may have uniform or randomly sized pores that vary in the number of pores, or pore density, such that the there is a relatively low pore density and high stiffness near the bone interface and a relatively high pore density and low stiffness toward the bearing surface. Continue reading about Cartilage resurfacing implant... Full patent description for Cartilage resurfacing implant Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Cartilage resurfacing implant patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Cartilage resurfacing implant or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel corneal prosthesis Next Patent Application: Prosthesis made of a fibre-reinforced hydrogel, method of manufacturing the prosthesis and use thereof. Industry Class: Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or aids and accessories therefor ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Cartilage resurfacing implant patent info. 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