Patent US3436983A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0681815A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0681815A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Self-lubricating implantable articulation member
Assignee: Johnson and Johnson Professional Inc
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Filing: 1995-02-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-02-17
Abstract
Abstract Implantable articles, such as bone prostheses, are prepared by casting techniques and have incorporated therein fluid communicating passageways. The internal fluid communicating passageways convey synovial fluid from a joint space to the articulation surface of an artificial joint. The presence of synovial fluid at the articulation surface provides sufficient lubricity to the joint and enables artificial joints to utilize metal/metal, metal/ceramic, and ceramic/ceramic articulation couples without the need for a low friction polymeric lining material. Accordingly, artificial joint components formed according to the present invention are less likely to develop wear debris. The implantable articles are formed by a casting process from casting molds that are prepared using a three dimensional printing technique.
Inventors
- 👤 Salvatore Caldarise
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:33
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/38; A61F2/32; B; B29; B29C; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/165; B33; B33Y; B33Y70/00; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/84; A61B17/86; A61F2/3094; A61F2/3859; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30667; A61F2002/30673; A61F2/30767; A61F2/30771; A61F2002/30772; A61F2002/30784; A61F2002/30787; A61F2002/30934; A61F2/30942; A61F2002/30957; A61F2002/3225; A61F2/34; A61F2002/3401; A61F2002/3469; A61F2/36; A61F2/3609; A61F2002/3611; A61F2002/3621; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; A61F2310/00017; A61F2310/00023; A61F2310/00029; A61F2310/00179; A61F2310/00185; A61F2310/00203; B29K; B29K2709/00; B29K2709/02; B33Y10/00; B33Y80/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
An implantable article for placement within a joint space, comprising an articulation member having an articulation surface and an opposed, bone-engaging surface, the articulation member having: one or more primary internal passageways extending internally within the member from a fluid communication inlet port disposed on a surface of the article adjacent to the joint space; and means for communicating fluid from the primary internal passageways to the articulation surface, the primary passageways and means for communicating being able to convey synovial fluid from within the joint space to the articulation surface to provide lubrication between the articulation member and another articulation component of an artificial joint.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 1 wherein the diameter of the primary internal passageways is in the range of about 0.005 to 0.100 inch.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The implantable article of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the means for communicating is a fluid communication outlet port of the primary internal passageway that is disposed on the articulation surface of the articulation member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The implantable article of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the means for communicating comprises one or more secondary internal passageways, each extending from one of the primary internal passageways to a fluid communication outlet port disposed on the articulation surface of the articulation member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of claim 4 wherein the diameter of the secondary internal passageways is in the range of about 0.005 to 0.100 inch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The implantable article of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the primary internal passageways have smooth internal walls and are spatially oriented within the articulation member so as to allow smooth and continuous flow of fluid therethrough.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The implantable article of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the primary internal passageways extend within the member in an orientation substantially parallel to at least one of the articulation surface or the bone contacting surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The implantable article of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the articulation member is a cast metal article having as-cast primary internal passageways.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The implantable article of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the articulation member is formed of a castable, biologically compatible metal or ceramic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The implantable article of claim 9 wherein the articulation member is formed of cobalt-chromium-nickel alloy, titanium-vanadium alloy or stainless steel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The implantable article of claim 9 wherein the articulation member is formed of alumina, zirconia, silicon nitride, silica, silicon carbide, or a mixture thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the articulation member is an acetabular shell, a femoral head, a knee tibial or a knee femoral.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
133 words
The article of any one of claims 1 to 15 which is an implantable hip joint comprising: a hip femoral component having a distal, elongate shaft and a proximal neck region; a hemispherical femoral head component able to be secured to the neck, the head component having a smooth external articulation surface; and as the articulation member, an acetabular shell having an internal bone-engaging surface and an external, cup-like articulation surface for receiving the femoral head component, the acetabular shell having said one or more primary internal passageways and said means for communicating fluid from the primary internal passageway to the articulation surface, the primary internal passageways extending internally within the acetabular shell from a fluid communication inlet port disposed on an external surface of the acetabular shell adjacent to a joint space.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
117 words
An implantable article comprising an articulation member having an articulation surface and an opposed, bone contacting surface, the articulation member having: one or more fluid communicating passageways extending internally within the member from a fluid communication inlet port disposed on a surface of the article adjacent a joint space; and one or more secondary internal passageways, each extending from a fluid communication port on one of the primary internal passageways to a fluid communication outlet port disposed on the articulation surface, the primary and secondary internal passageways being able to convey synovial fluid from within the joint space to the articulation surface to provide lubrication between the articulation member and another articulation component of an artificial joint.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of making an implantable, self-lubricating articulation member for an artificial joint, comprising the steps of: a) depositing a layer of a powder material in a confined region; b) applying a binder material to the powder material in selected regions of the layer to solidify the powder material in selected regions; c) repeating steps (a) and (b) a predetermined number of times to deposit successive layers of powder, with variations in regions to which binder material is applied such that a solidified portion of each layer is bonded to a preceding layer to form a casting mold that defines a negative of the implantable article, the casting mold including solid, cylindrical regions that correspond to internal, fluid conveying passageways to be formed in the articulation member; d) removing loose, non-bonded powder material from within the casting mold; e) casting a metal within the casting mold and hardening the metal to form the articulation member; and f) removing the articulation member from the casting mold, the articulation member having internal, fluid conveying passageways that are effective to convey synovial fluid from a joint space to the articulation surface of the articulation member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the powder material is a ceramic forming material, which is preferably alumina, silica, silicon carbide, zirconia, silicon nitride or a mixture thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the binder material comprises an organic or inorganic binder material, preferably a cellulosic resin, a butyral resin, polycarbosilazone, or a silicate-based material and most preferably aqueous colloidal silica.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1471000A
Cited
FR2134170A1
Cited
DE2524923B1
Cited
EP0084094A1
Cited
EP0431924A2
Cited
WO1993016865A1
Cited
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