Prosthetic implant
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsBarry Eppley, Thomas Sander, Robert D. Torgerson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Flexible prosthetic implants for repairing, replacing or augmenting hard tissue or bone. The flexible implant comprises a plurality of segments that are connected by flexible retainers which enable the segments to be re-oriented in relation to one another to accommodate the contour, size and shape of the body part being treated. A method for making such flexible prosthetic implants is also disclosed.
Claims30
A subcutaneous prosthetic maxillofacial implant for tissue or bone comprising at least two segments, at least one of said segments being connected to another segment by a flexible connecting member, said segments having inner and outer surfaces, said outer surfaces configured and dimensioned to alter the appearance of tissue underlying said segments, said inner surfaces adapted to abut surface of underlying bone, whereby said segments and said flexible connecting member cooperate to conform said implant to the contour of at least a portion of underlying bone, wherein said inner surfaces of said segments are configured to conform to at least a portion of maxillofacial bone.
A subcutaneous prosthetic chin implant for tissue or bone comprising at least two segments, at least one of said segments being connected to another segment by a flexible connecting member, said segments having inner and outer surfaces, said outer surfaces adapted to alter the appearance of tissue overlying said segments, said inner surfaces adapted to abut surface of underlying bone, whereby said segments and said flexible connecting member cooperate to conform said implant to the contour of at least a portion of underlying bone, wherein said inner surfaces of said segments are configured to conform to at least a portion of a mandible.
A subcutaneous maxillofacial implant for replacing or augmenting hard tissue or bone comprising at least first and second segments composed of polymethylmethacrylate polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate composite, said segments having inner and outer surfaces, said outer surfaces adapted to alter the appearance of tissue overlying said segments, said inner surfaces adapted to abut surface of underlying bone, said segments linked by a separate flexible member having a first end connected to said first segment and a second end connected to said second segment.
A subcutaneous maxillofacial implant for body tissue or bone comprising
- at least a first rigid segment;
- at least a second rigid segment adjacent said first segment;
- and
- means for joining said first and second segments to allow re-orientation of said second segment in relation to said first segment whereby said first and second segments are positionable to conform to the contour of at least a portion of said body tissue or bone, wherein at least a portion of said segments are configured to conform to at least a portion of maxillofacial bone and each of said first and second segments having outer surfaces, said outer surfaces being shaped and configured to alter the appearance of tissue overlying said segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.