Prosthesis for articulating body structures

Claim 2

A countoured prosthesis adapted to cover an articulating surface of a skeletal member comprising a flexible shell shaped to cover said articulating surface and having one side a smooth relatively firm surface provided by biocompatible elastomeric material and having the other side of a reticular threedimensional, open-pore, tissue-ingrowth-receptive structure means for enabling tissue ingrowth thereinto below the surface with subsurface intertwining and intermeshing of tissue with said structure means, said structure means being secured to said elastomeric material by partial penetration of said elastomeric material into substantially the whole back of said structure means.

Claim 3

In a prosthesis for covering an articulating portion of a skeletal member, the improvement comprising a relatively thick, flexible, cup-like member having a first side with biocompatible reticular, three-dimensionally tissue-ingrowth receptive means for enabling subsurface growth of tissue to enter, grow through, intertwine, and intertangle therewith for firm, deep, inner attachment with body tissues, and a second side of smooth biocompatible elastomer providing a slidable surface preventing tissue ingrowth and attachment, said tissue-ingrowth receptive means being secured to said elastomer by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth receptive means.

Claim 4

In a prosthesis for covering an articulating portion of a skeletal member, the improvement comprising a relatively thick, flexible, cup-like member having a first side with biocompatible reticular, three-dimensionally tissue-ingrowth receptive means for enabling subsurface growth of tissue to enter, grow through, intertwine, and intertangle therewith for firm, deep, inner attachment with body tissues, and a second side of smooth biocompatible elastomer providing a slidable surface preventing tissue ingrowth and attachment, said tissue-ingrowth receptive means being secured to said elastomer by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth receptive means.

Claim 5

A prosthesis as in claim 2 wherein said first side is convex and said second side is concave.

Claim 6

A prosthesis as in claim 3 wherein said first side has a stem consisting of elastomer which is contiguous with and extends outwardly from said first side.

Claim 7

A prosthesis as in claim 4 wherein a biocompatible, tissue-ingrowth-receptive material covers and is secured to said stem by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material.

Claim 8

A prosthesis as in claim 4 wherein at least a portion of said elastomer and said stem contains reinforcing fabric.

Claim 9

A prosthesis as in claim 2 wherein said first side is concave and said second side is convex.

Claim 10

A prosthesis as in claim 7 wherein said first side has a stem of elastomeric material contiguous with and extending outwardly from said first side.

Claim 11

A prosthesis as in claim 8 wherein said biocompatible tissue-ingrowth receptive meAns extends over said stem and is secured to said stem by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth receptive means.

Claim 12

A prosthesis as in claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said elastomer and a portion of said stem contain reinforcing fabric.

Claim 13

A prosthesis as in claim 2 wherein at least a portion of said elastomer contains reinforcing fabric.

Claim 14

In a prosthesis for covering the articulating surface of the head of a humerus bone, the improvement comprising, a flexible cap-like member having a smooth convex surface provided by a relatively thick layer of biocompatible elastomer and a concave surface covered by a separate discrete covering of tissue-ingrowth-receptive material having a tri-dimensional reticular open-pore structure means for enabling tissue to grow thereinto and become interlocked and intertwined therewith below the surface thereof when said prosthesis is emplaced on the head of a said humerous bone, said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material being secured by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material.

Claim 15

In a prosthesis for covering the articulating surface of the head of a humerus bone, the improvement comprising, a flexible cap-like member having a smooth convex surface provided by a relatively thick layer of biocompatible elastomer and a concave surface covered by a separate discrete covering of tissue-ingrowth-receptive material having a tri-dimensional reticular open-pore structure means for enabling tissue to grow thereinto and become interlocked and intertwined therewith below the surface thereof when said prosthesis is emplaced on the head of a said humerous bone, said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material being secured by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material.

Claim 16

A prosthesis as in claim 12 wherein fabric reinforcement lies within said elastomer.

Claim 17

A prosthesis as in claim 13 wherein said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material is secured to said reinforcement by stitching.

Claim 18

A prosthesis as in claim 14 wherein a stem consisting of elastomer and covered by tissue-ingrowth-receptive material extends outwardly from about the central portion of said concave surface, said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material being secured by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material on said stem.

Claim 19

A prosthesis for covering the articulating surface of the distal end of a radius bone, comprising, a contoured cup-like member having a smooth concave surface provided by a relatively thick layer of biocompatible elastomer and a convex surface of said elastomer covered by a tissue-ingrowth-receptive material secured to said elastomer by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material, said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material having a tridimensional reticular open-pore structure means for enabling tissue to grow thereinto and to become intertwined and interlocked therewith below the surface means when said prosthesis is emplaced on a said radius bone.

Claim 20

A prosthesis for covering the articulating surface of the distal end of a radius bone, comprising, a contoured cup-like member having a smooth concave surface provided by a relatively thick layer of biocompatible elastomer and a convex surface of said elastomer covered by a tissue-ingrowth-receptive material secured to said elastomer by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material, said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material having a tridimensional reticular open-pore structure means for enabling tissue to grow thereinto and to become intertwined and interlocked therewith below the surface means when said prosthesis is emplaced on a said radius bone.

Claim 21

A prosthesis as in claim 16 wherein fabric reinforcement lies between said elastomer and said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material.

Claim 22

A prosthesis as in claim 17 wherein said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material is secured to said reinforcement by stitching.

Claim 23

A prosthesis as in claim 18 wherein a stem consisting of elastomer and covered by tissue-ingrowth-receptive material extends outwardly from about the central portion of said convex side, said tissue-ingrowth receptive material being secured by partial penetration of said elastomer into substantially the whole back of said tissue-ingrowth-receptive material on said stem.