US4608051A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Auditory canal wall prosthesis and process for producing same
Assignee: Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH
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Filing: 1982-04-29
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Granted: 1986-08-26
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Expires: 2002-04-29
Abstract
Abstract Prosthesis for the partial or complete reconstruction of the rear auditory canal wall, with a hollow cylindrical sleeve shape (1), not closed, and having at least in its two base areas (9) and (10) differential expansions in the manner of a hyperboloid with a preferentially elliptic cross section. A bioactive substance is used as the material. The inner wall of the prosthesis has a positive or negative (spatial) coordinate grid (6, 7). Selected partial surface areas (11, 12; 4) may be provided with an insoluble, bio-inert protective layer. The latter may consist of an additive protective layer (S(+)) or a substractive protective layer (S(-)). Appropriate coating processes are cited for both of these variants. When S(-) layers are produced, these may be exposed to a subsequent sealing and/or silanizing treatment.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralf Reck
- 👤 Heinz Broemer
- 👤 Klaus Deutscher
- 👤 Henning Franek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:57
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L27/00; A61L27/28; A61L27/30; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/18; A61F2002/183; A61L2430/00; A61L2430/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A prosthesis for the total or partial replacement of a rear auditory canal wall, comprising: an open ended, hollow cylindrical sleeve having a longitudinal axis extending between a first and a second end, said sleeve including a wall defining an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface is defined by a plurality of differential hyperboloid expansions having ellipsoidal cross sections perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, wherein at least one first expansion defines said first end and at least one second expansion defines said second end; said sleeve further including a cut-out section defined by first and second axial edges extending from said first end to said second end; and said sleeve including a bioactive material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A prosthesis for the total or partial replacement of a rear auditory canal wall, comprising: an open ended, hollow cylindrical sleeve having a longitudinal axis extending between a first and a second end, said sleeve including a wall defining an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein said inner surface is defined by a plurality of differential hyperboloid expansions having ellipsoidal cross sections perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, wherein at least one first expansion defines said first end and at least one second expansion defines said second end; said sleeve further including a cut-out section defined by first and second axial edges extending from said first end to said second end; and said sleeve including a bioactive material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein said inner section of said wall comprises means forming a spatial coordinate grid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 2, wherein said means comprise a first family of lines, and a second family of lines, wherein the first family of lines crosses the second family of lines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 3, wherein said first family of lines comprises a plurality of hyperbolic lines extending substantially in the direction of said longitudinal axis, and wherein said second family of lines comprises a plurality of elliptical lines extending substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 3, wherein said families of lines comprise a plurality of recesses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 5, wherein said recesses comprise a shape selected from the group consisting of: triangular, rectangular and rounded.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 2, wherein said families of lines comprises a plurality of bead-like protrusions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 2, wherein said means comprise a discontinuous arrangement of dimples.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 2, wherein said means comprise a discontinuous arrangement of nubs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 2, wherein the means comprise the same bioactive material said sheeth comprises.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 2, wherein the means comprise a mean mesh width from about 1 mm to about 2 mm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
133 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 2, wherein a first ellipse having a principle axis and having an open section is described by an intersection of said sheeth and a plane perpendicular to said long axis, wherein said open section of said ellipse corresponds to said cut-out section of said sheeth, wherein a projection of said ellipse from a point corresponding to said first axial edge to a point corresponding to said second axial edge defines a first circumferential distance, wherein the circumferential distance is less than the length of said first and second edges, wherein a plurality of ellipses may be defined in the manner of said first ellipse and wherein a shortest principle axis of said plurality of ellipses is greater than a mean circumferential distance of said plurality of ellipses.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein an axial length of said sleeve measured along said longitudinal axis increases from a minimum opposite said cut-out section to a maximum at said first and second axial edges.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
76 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 12, wherein a mean axial length of said sleeve is between about 12 mm and about 25 mm, wherein a mean first circumferential distance of said ellipses is between about 7 mm and about 14 mm, wherein said wall has a thickness of between about 0.5 mm and about 20 mm, wherein a mean length of principle axes of said ellipses is between about 10 mm and about 17 mm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 14, wherein said means are a relief structure having a mean height of between about 0.2 mm to about 1.0 mm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein said bioactive material comprises a composite material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein said bioactive material comprises apatite-containing sinter products.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein said bioactive material comrpises a glass ceramic.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, wherein said sleeve comprises a core material and a coating of bioactive substance.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
An auditory canal wall prosthesis, comprising a section of the sleeve according to claim 1.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, further comprising an insoluble bio-inert material exposed on at least part of the surface area of said sleeve.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 1, further comprising a partial coating of an insoluble bio-inert material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 22, wherein said coating comprises at least one additive layer having a thickness of between about 0.25 μm and 5 μm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 22, wherein said coating comprises at least one subtractively produced conversion layer having a thickness between about 0.25 μm and about 5 μm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 22, wherein said partial coating comprises at least one subtractively produced conversion layer on said core material and at least one additive protective layer on said conversion layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 21, wherein said inner surface of said wall comprises an insoluble bio-inert material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 21, wherein said outer surface of said wall comprises an insoluble bio-inert material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 21, wherein said outer and inner surfaces of said wall comprise an insoluble, bio-inert material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 28, wherein said first and second edges comprise an insoluble, bio-inert material.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
121 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 21, wherein said bio-inert material includes at least one constituent selected from the group, consisting of: (a) metals such as gold, platinum, titanium and metal alloys; (b) carbon in its appropriate modifications, such as pyrolytic carbon (graphite); carbon compounds, such as silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), boron carbide (B 4 C); (c) special ceramic materials, such as hexagonal boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ); (d) partially crystalline inorganic composite systems, such as enamels; (e) inorganic single component (for example flint glass) or multi-component glasses; and (f) oxides such as titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) and aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 20, wherein said bio-inert material is selected from the group consisting of: residual bioglass ceramic; bioceramic; and bioglass free of apatite.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 31, wherein said bio-inert material further comprises a silane layer.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for the total replacement of a rear auditory canal wall using a prosthesis comprising an open ended, hollow cylindrical sleeve having a longitudinal axis extending between a first and a second end, said sleeve including a wall defining an inner surface and an outer surface wherein said inner surface is defined by a plurality of differential hyberboloid expansions having ellipsoidal cross sections perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, wherein at least one first expansion defines said first end and at least one second expansion defines said second end; said sleeve further including a cut-out section defined by first and second axial edges extending from said first end to said second end; and said sleeve including a bioactive material; wherein the method comprises the steps of: preparing the prosthesis for implantation; and implanting the prosthesis.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for the total replacement of a rear auditory canal wall using a prosthesis comprising an open ended, hollow cylindrical sleeve having a longitudinal axis extending between a first and a second end, said sleeve including a wall defining an inner surface and an outer surface wherein said inner surface is defined by a plurality of differential hyberboloid expansions having ellipsoidal cross sections perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, wherein at least one first expansion defines said first end and at least one second expansion defines said second end; said sleeve further including a cut-out section defined by first and second axial edges extending from said first end to said second end; and said sleeve including a bioactive material; wherein the method comprises the steps of: preparing the prosthesis for implantation; and implanting the prosthesis.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method for the partial replacement of a rear auditory canal wall comprising the steps of claim 33 and further comprising, before said step of preparing the step of producing an appropriate section of the prosthesis.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
27 words
A prosthesis as recited in claim 14, wherein said means are a recess structure having a mean depth of between about 0.2 mm and about 1.0 mm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-25 | 1990-02-24 | 1990-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-25 | 1994-02-24 | 1994-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-25 | 1998-02-24 | 1998-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |