Prosthetic joint with semipermeable capsule with reinforcing ribs
AssigneeUniversity of Utah
InventorKevin G. Shea
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A prosthetic joint such as a hip prosthesis includes a semipermeable membrane to encapsulate articulating surfaces of the joint. The semipermeable membrane permits circulation of natural body fluid to the articulating surfaces of the joint for lubrication purposes, while preventing systemic distribution of particulate generated at the articulating surfaces in the course of normal mechanical wear. In addition, the membrane isolates the articulating surfaces from other particulate debris, such as fragments of bone cement and/or bone ingrowth materials associated with the prosthesis-bone interface. One or more stay rings are carried by the membrane to prevent the membrane from becoming entrapped between articulatory surfaces of the prosthetic joint.
Claims19
A prosthetic joint for implantation into a patient's body, said prosthetic joint comprising:
- first and second prosthetic components adapted for fixation respectively to an adjacent pair of patient bones, said first and second prosthetic components having interengageable articulating surfaces;
- a generally cylindrical semipermeable flexible membrane;
- and
- means for connecting opposite ends of said semipermeable membrane to said first and second prosthetic components so that said membrane surrounds and encapsulates said articulating surfaces to permit a substantially normal range of motion and to avoid interfering with such motion, whereby said membrane permits substantial body fluid circulation therethrough for purposes of lubricating said articulating surfaces while substantially preventing migration of particulate through said membrane;
- and
- at least one stay ring carried by said membrane to prevent said membrane from interfering with said articulating surfaces, said at least one stay ring being mounted on said membrane at a position so that the distance along said membrane between said at least one stay ring and the adjacent one of said connecting means is less than the distance between said adjacent one of said connecting means and said articulating surfaces.
A prosthetic joint for implantation into a patient's body, said prosthetic joint comprising:
- first and second prosthetic components adapted for fixation respectively to an adjacent pair of patient bones, said first and second prosthetic components having interengageable articulating surfaces;
- a semipermeable flexible membrane of generally cylindrical shape defining open opposite ends;
- first connecting means for connecting one end of said membrane to said first prosthetic component;
- second connecting means for connecting the other end of said membrane to said second prosthetic component so that said membrane surrounds and encapsulates said articulating surfaces to permit substantially normal range of motion and to avoid interfering with such motion, whereby said membranes permits substantial body fluid circulation therethrough for purposes of lubricating said articulating surfaces while substantially preventing migration of particulate through said membrane;
- and
- at least one stay ring carried by said membrane to prevent said membrane from interfering with said articulating surfaces, said at least one stay ring being mounted along the length of said membrane of a position wherein the distance along said membrane between said at least one stay ring and said second mounting means is less than the distance between said second connecting means and said articulating surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.