US 5,800,552 AGranted

Mechanically linked hinged total knee prosthesis

OwnerMark R. Forteinventor

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Abstract

A resurfacing type of total knee prosthesis is disclosed which also provides a posterior stabilization function over the entire range of flexion. The knee prosthesis provides primary or supplementary posterior stabilization of the reconstructed knee joint by means of a unique mechanical cam/follower mechanism, which is integrated within the medial and lateral distal condyles of the femoral component to provide functional compensation for lost, resected or incompetent posterior cruciate ligaments or to work in conjunction with surgically retained viable or questionably viable cruciate ligament structures of the reconstructed knee joint. The invention extends to prostheses including a hinge connection that defines a posterior stabilization construction separate from that defined by the condyles. One embodiment of the invention extends individually to the posterior stabilizing hinge assembly.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A total knee prosthesis capable of providing resurfacing to the adjacent ends of the existing bone structures, as well as total posterior stabilization to the knee joint, comprising:

a) a femoral component including:
i) a medial condyle having an anterior portion, a distal portion and a posterior portion;
ii) a lateral condyle having an anterior portion, a distal portion and a posterior portion;
iii) an anterior patellar flange interconnecting the anterior portions of the medial and lateral condyles in parallel, spaced apart relation;
and
iv) cam member means integral with said medial and lateral condyles and located outboard thereof, said cam member means having an anteriorly located concave cam member surface and a posteriorly located convex cam member surface;
b) a tibial component including:
i) multi-radius tibial plateau bearing surface means for receiving said medial and lateral condyles for rolling and sliding movement thereon;
and
ii) follower member means integral with said bearing surface means for receiving the cam surfaces of said cam member means for rotational and sliding movement thereon;
and
c) hinge means associated with and hingeably connecting said femoral component and said tibial component, said hinge means having a variable axis of rotation and enabling the rotational and sliding contact and anterior-posterior translation to take place between said femoral component and said tibial component;
d) the cam member surfaces of said cam member means being in contact with said follower member means for substantially the entire flexion range of the knee.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/327,092Filed 21 Oct 1994 · division
Priority: 22 Mar 1991
Granted: 1 Sep 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

A61F 2/3886
For elbows or knees: for stabilising knees against anterior or lateral dislocations
A61F 2/3845
Hinged, i.e. with transverse axle restricting the movement: allowing only for single rotation
A61F 2/385
Hinged, i.e. with transverse axle restricting the movement: also provided with condylar bearing surfaces
A61F
Filters implantable into blood vessels

Family

Serial673,790Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Mar 1991
Serial854,225Parent of this division · filed 20 Mar 1992
US 5,358,527 AParent of this division
US 5,236,461 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,800,552 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.