Bone growth promoting implant
AssigneeActive Implants Corporation
InventorAmiram Steinberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stem-like bone implant includes longitudinal structural members and tension cables that provide curvature control and support, and rigidity against bending and buckling. The longitudinal structural members and tension cables may become an integral part of a composite regenerated bone having a substantially increased strength over natural bone. The flexibility of the implant is controlled by specifically varying the structural geometry of certain portions of the implant, and by adjusting the tension in the tension cables before, during and after the implantation operation to thereby adjust the stiffness of the implant. The tension cables may be adjusted to produce asymmetric or non-uniform levels of tension in the longitudinal structural members.
Claims13
A deformable bone implant, comprising a surface defining a bone engaging, resiliently deformable interface portion supported by a resiliently deformable support core and comprising a plurality of resiliently deformable support elements attached to a plurality of adjustable cables in a manner permitting adjustment of the stiffness and/or curvature of the implant.
A deformable bone implant for insertion into a bone canal comprising
- a surface defining a bone engaging interface portion supported by a support core;
- a plurality of resiliently deformable support elements oriented in longitudinal rows along the interface portion and protruding from the interface portion;
- wherein the plurality of deformable support elements are structurally configured to allow for a press fit between said implant and the bone canal such that the implant conforms to and fits snugly within the bone canal;
- wherein the plurality of resiliently deformable support elements comprise protrusions that are operatively configured to deflect during insertion of the implant into the bone canal and to exert force against said bone canal after deflection when said implant is affixed in said bone canal;
- and
- wherein an adjustable cable is operatively associated with said resiliently deformable support elements in a manner permitting adjustment of tension in the resiliently deformable support elements to thereby adjust stiffness and/or curvature of the implant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.