# US 2019/0167437 A1 · Implant for a bone joint

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- Number: US 2019/0167437 A1
- Document ID: US20190167437A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/271,452
- Filed: 2019-02-08
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-02-10
- Assignees: National University of Ireland, Galway
- Applicants: National University of Ireland, Galway
- Inventors: Gerry CLARKE; Brendan BOLAND; Mark BRUZZI; Amy L. LADD; Arnold-Peter C. WEISS; Filip STOCKMANS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167437A1

## CPC

- A61F 2/4241: {for hands, e.g. fingers}
- A61F 2/30: Joints
- A61F 2002/30065: {thermoplastic, i.e. softening or fusing when heated, and hardening and becoming rigid again when cooled}
- A61F 2002/30301: {saddle-shaped}
- A61F 2002/30331: {made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit}
- A61F 2002/30378: {Spherically-shaped protrusion and recess}
- A61F 2002/3055: {for adjusting length}
- A61F 2002/30604: {modular}
- A61F 2002/30649: {Ball-and-socket joints}
- A61F 2002/4253: {for thumbs}
- A61F 2002/4258: {for trapezo-metacarpal joints of thumbs}
- A61F 2310/00017: Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
- A61F 2310/00023: Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
- A61F 2310/00029: Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
- A61F 2310/00059: Chromium or Cr-based alloys
- A61F 2310/00089: Zirconium or Zr-based alloys
- A61F 2310/00161: Carbon; Graphite
- A61F 2310/00173: Graphite
- 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

An implant (30) for a mammalian bone joint (3) for spacing a first bone (2) of the joint from a second bone (1) of the joint while allowing translational movement of the second bone in relation to the first bone is described. The implant comprises (a) a distal part (31) configured for intramedullary engagement with an end of the second bone, (b) a proximal part (34) having a platform (15) configured for non-engaging abutment of an end of the first bone and translational movement thereon, and (c) an articulating coupling (10, 16) provided between the distal and proximal ends allowing controlled articulation of the first and second bones. The bone-abutting platform is shaped to conform to and translate upon the end of the first bone. A kit for assembly to form the implant of the invention, and the use of the implant to treat osteoarthritis in a bone joint, are also described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An implant (30, 5) for a mammalian first carpometacarpal joint (3) for spacing a trapezium bone (2) of the joint from a first metacarpal bone (1) of the joint while allowing translational movement of the first metacarpal bone in relation to the trapezium bone, the implant comprising (a) a distal part (31, 6) configured for intramedullary engagement with an end of the first metacarpal bone, (b) a proximal part (34) having a curved saddle-shaped platform (15) configured for non-engaging abutment of an end of the trapezium bone and translational movement thereon, and (c) an articulating coupling (10, 16) provided between the distal and proximal parts allowing controlled articulation of the trapezium and first metacarpal bones.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An implant according to claim 1 in which the articulating coupling is a ball and socket joint (10, 16).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An implant according to claim 1 in which the socket (16) is contained within the intermedullary distal part (31).

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

An implant according to claim 2 in which the socket (16) is offset towards a volar side of the intermedullary distal part (31).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An implant according to claim 1 in which the distal part comprises an intramedullary stem configured for interference fit in a medullary cavity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

An implant according to claim 2 in which the articulating surface of the socket comprises a wear-resistant liner (12).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An implant according to claim 1 in which the distal part and/or proximal part is configured for length adjustment to vary the spacing between the trapezium and the first metacarpal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

An implant according to claim 7 in which the proximal or distal part comprises a bone abutting/engaging part, a coupling part and an adjustable spacer between the bone abutting/engaging part and the coupling part.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

An implant according to claim 8 in which the adjustable spacer comprises a stem (9) that threadingly engages the bone abutting/engaging part and is axially adjustable between an extended and retracted position, in which the stem is optionally configured to extend axially away from the bone generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second bone or at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the second bone.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

An implant according to claim 1 in which the implant is a modular implant comprising a first component including the distal part and second component comprising the proximal part, in which the first or second component comprises the articulating coupling or the first component comprises part of the articulating coupling
and the second component comprises another part of the articulating coupling.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A modular implant according to claim 10 and comprising three components:
a first component comprising the proximal part having a first bone-abutting platform at one end and one of a ball or socket at an opposite end; a second component comprising the distal part having one end configured for intramedullary engagement with the second bone; and a third spacer component having one of a ball and socket at one and an opposite end configured for engagement with the second component.

### Claim 12

An implant (30, 5) for a mammalian bone joint (3) for spacing a first bone (2) of the joint from a second bone (1) of the joint while allowing translational movement of the second bone in relation to the first bone, the implant comprising (a) a first part (31, 6) configured for intramedullary engagement with an end of the second bone, (b) a second part (34) having a platform (15) configured for non-engaging abutment of an end of the first bone and translational movement thereon, and (c) an articulating coupling (10, 16) provided between the first and second parts allowing controlled articulation of the first and second bones, and in which the bone-abutting platform (15) is shaped to conform to a natural shape of the end of the first bone.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

An implant according to claim 12 in which the articulating coupling is a ball and socket joint (10, 16).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

An implant according to claim 13 in which the socket (16) is contained within the first part (31).

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

An implant according to claim 13 in which the socket (16) is offset from the longitudinal axis of the intermedullary first part (31).

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

An implant according to claim 12 in which the first part (31) comprises an intramedullary stem configured for interference fit in a medullary cavity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

An implant according to claim 12 in which the bone joint is selected from a saddle joint, a metatarsophalangeal joint, and a glenohumeral joint.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

An implant according to claim 17 and in which the bone joint is a metatarsophalangeal joint, in which the first part (31) is configured for intermedullary engagement with the first metatarsal and the second part (34) comprises a platform configured for non-engaging abutment of a proximal end of the plalanx.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

An implant according to claim 17 and in which the bone joint is a first carpometacarpal joint and in which the mammal has had a trapeziectomy, in which the first part (31) is configured for intermedullary engagement with the first metatcarpal and the second part (34) is elongated and comprises a platform configured for non-engaging abutment of a proximal end of the scaphoid bone.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

An implant according to claim 12 in which the articulating surfaces of the ball and/or socket comprise a wear-resistant liner (12), and/or in which the distal part and/or proximal part is configured for length adjustment to vary the spacing between the first and second bones.