Extended life prosthetic joints through thermal management
OwnerPeter E. Priceinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A prosthetic joint has two load-bearing surfaces that are slidingly disposed relative to each other and define a region of frictional contact. The joint is thermally managed as heat is removed from the region of frictional contact during joint use by thermal conduction so that the surfaces are maintained approximately at or below specified temperatures. Embodiments of femoral ball members and acetabular cup members to be used in thermally managed prosthetic hip joints are provided.
Claims8
A modular femoral ball capable of being fixedly attached to a femoral stem to form a femoral member of a prosthetic hip joint, the modular femoral ball comprising:
- a ball core;
- and a biocompatible metallic layer, the layer metallurgically bonded to the ball core;
- wherein the ball core has a thermal conductivity of at least about 50 W/m° K, the thermal conductivity measured at about 310° K.
A prosthetic joint comprising:
- a first member comprising ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, having a first load-bearing surface;
- and a second member comprising:
- a heat pipe core having a thermal conductivity of at least about 50 W/m° K;
- and a biocompatible casing surrounding the heat pipe core;
- and a second load-bearing portion, having a second load-bearing surface;
- the second load-bearing portion comprising a metallic material having a thermal conductivity greater than about seventy-five times the thermal conductivity of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, thermal conductivity measured at about 310° K;
- the second load-bearing portion metallurgically bonded to the second body portion;
- the surfaces slidingly disposed relative to each other;
- the surfaces, when loaded, defining a region of frictional contact where heat is generated;
- wherein the prosthetic joint is configured to thermally manage the region of frictional contact by heat conduction through the heat pipe core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.