Back to results
US 2004/0111162 A1Published application
Apparatus and method for advancing synovial fluid in a prosthetic joint
AssigneeDePuy Products, Inc.
InventorCarleton B. Southworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A prosthetic orthopaedic head has a fluid chamber defined therein. A fluid filter is positioned in the fluid chamber. In response to a load being exerted on the prosthetic head, synovial fluid is advanced through a filter thereby removing debris from the synovial fluid. A method of operating a prosthesis is also disclosed.
Claims31
An orthopaedic prosthesis, comprising:
- a head component having a chamber defined therein, and
- a synovial fluid inlet valve positioned in the chamber.
A method of operating an orthopaedic device, the method comprising the steps of:
- advancing synovial fluid into a chamber defined in a prosthetic head component of the orthopaedic device in response to a first change in load exerted on the prosthetic head component.
A prosthetic head component, comprising:
- a body defining a fluid chamber, and
- a fluid filter positioned in the fluid chamber.
An orthopaedic prosthesis, comprising:
- a head component having a fluid chamber defined therein,
- a fluid inlet, and
- a fluid filter fluidly positioned between the fluid inlet and the fluid chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.