Magnetic joint implant
AssigneeP Tech, LLC
InventorsPeter M. Bonutti, Justin E. Beyers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The application is directed to devices and methods where one or more magnetic or magnetizable implants provides therapeutic benefits to a patient. The implant may be useful for expanding the range of motion of joints or dynamically providing different responses to changing conditions in the body where the implant is placed. An electromagnet is placed on or in a bone on one side of a joint, and another electromagnet or magnetically active material is placed on or in a bone on the opposing side of the joint. The electromagnet may be continuously energized to relieve pressure in the joint space, or may be energized in response to forces applied to the joint.
Claims20
A method of positioning tissue in a body comprising:
- mechanically affixing a magnetically active implant to soft tissue or an organ in a body;
- locating a magnetically active element external to the body;
- and
- magnetically influencing the position of the magnetically active implant with the magnetically active element to reposition the soft tissue or the organ in the body to which the magnetically active implant is affixed.
A method of performing a surgical procedure comprising:
- passing a magnetically active implant through a cannula in an incision in an abdomen of a patient;
- mechanically affixing the magnetically active implant to soft tissue or an internal organ retained in the abdomen of the patient using a clip;
- locating a magnetically active element external to the abdomen of the patient;
- and
- positioning the magnetically active implant with the magnetic field of the magnetically active element to alter at least one of a location, shape, or position of at least a portion of the soft tissue or internal organ in the abdomen of the patient to which the magnetically active implant is affixed.
A method of performing a surgical procedure, comprising:
- mechanically affixing a magnetically active implant to tissue in a body;
- positioning a magnetically active element over a surgical site external to the body of the patient;
- and
- relocating the magnetically active implant with the magnetic field of the magnetically active element, thereby influencing at least one of a location, shape, or position of at least a portion of the tissue in the body to which the magnetically active implant is affixed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.