# US 11,439,511 B2 · Orthopaedic knee implant system with controlled stiffness

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- Number: US 11,439,511 B2
- Document ID: US11439511B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/863,112
- Filed: 2020-04-30
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-30
- Assignees: Depuy Ireland Unlimited Company
- Applicants: DePuy Ireland Unlimited Company
- Inventors: Stephen E. White; William J. Maloney
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439511B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/30767: {Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth}
- A61F 2/389: {Tibial components (A61F2/3868 takes precedence)}
- A61F 2/38: for elbows or knees
- A61F 2/3836: {Special connection between upper and lower leg, e.g. constrained}
- A61F 2002/30011: {differing in porosity}
- A61F 2002/30014: {differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility}
- A61F 2002/3006: {Properties of materials and coating materials}
- A61F 2002/30546: {for adjusting elasticity, flexibility, spring rate or mechanical tension}
- A61F 2002/30565: {having spring elements}
- A61F 2002/30594: {slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots}
- A61F 2002/30677: {Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body}
- A61F 2002/30772: {Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section}
- A61F 2002/30784: {Plurality of holes}
- A61F 2002/30795: {Blind bores, e.g. of circular cross-section}
- A61F 2002/30827: {Plurality of grooves}
- A61F 2002/30828: {parallel}
- A61F 2002/3083: {inclined obliquely with respect to each other}
- A61F 2002/30878: {with non-sharp protrusions, for instance contacting the bone for anchoring, e.g. keels, pegs, pins, posts, shanks, stems, struts}
- A61F 2002/30884: {Fins or wings, e.g. longitudinal wings for preventing rotation within the bone cavity}
- A61F 2002/3092: {having an open-celled or open-pored structure}
- A61F 2002/3093: {for promoting ingrowth of bone tissue}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

A tibial implant includes one or more stiffness-modifying features to reduce the stiffness of one or more sections of the tibial implant. The stiffness-modifying features may include slots, recesses, or passageways defined in various locations of the tibial implant to selectively reduce the stiffness of a tibial insert and/or tibial base of the tibial implant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tibial insert of a tibial implant, the tibial insert comprising:
a medial articular surface;
a lateral articular surface; and
a central body formed between the medial articular surface and the lateral articular surface, wherein the central body includes a stiffness-modifying feature that selectively reduces stiffness of one or more sections of the tibial insert when implanted,
wherein the stiffness-modifying feature includes (i) a passageway extending through the central body from an anterior side of the tibial insert to a posterior side of the tibial insert, and (ii) a groove defined on a top surface of the central body from the anterior side of the tibial insert to the posterior side of the tibial insert, wherein the groove is in fluid communication with the passageway,
wherein the tibial insert further comprises a therapeutic agent disposed in the passageway.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tibial insert of claim 1, wherein the groove extends linearly from the anterior side of the tibial insert to the posterior side of the tibial insert.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The tibial insert of claim 1, wherein the groove curves from the anterior side of the tibial insert to the posterior side of the tibial insert.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The tibial insert of claim 1, wherein the passageway is a blind passageway having an opening on an anterior side of the central body or a posterior side of the central body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The tibial insert of claim 1, wherein the passageway includes a first opening on an anterior side of the central body and a second opening on a posterior side of the central body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The tibial insert of claim 1, wherein the groove defines a pair of tabs of the central body, wherein the tabs are movable into the passageway in response to a force applied to the tabs, and wherein the tabs cause a release of the therapeutic agent from the passageway in response to the force.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The tibial insert of claim 6, further comprising a pair of openings defined on an anterior side of the central body, each of the openings being configured to receive a tensioner operable to move the tabs of the central body to cause the release of the therapeutic agent from the passageway.