Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A total shoulder prothesis comprising: a humeral stem designed to be implanted within a patient's humeral canal, a head portion with a spherical shape generated by revolution about an axis designed to cooperate with the glenoid cavity of the shoulder, a link assembly connecting said head portion to the humeral stem, said link assembly comprising 1) a ball fixed to a proximal end of said stem and 2) a spherical socket located in said head portion and forming a housing for said ball, an axis of revolution of the head portion being offset with respect to the center of said ball, the socket and the ball constituting a joint capable of making the orientation of the head portion vary in relation to the stem by rotation about said center of the ball, and means for selectively locking the head portion in position on the ball so as to prevent any motion of the head portion with respect to the ball.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A total shoulder prothesis comprising: a humeral stem designed to be implanted within a patient's humeral canal, a head portion with a spherical shape generated by revolution about an axis designed to cooperate with the glenoid cavity of the shoulder, a link assembly connecting said head portion to the humeral stem, said link assembly comprising 1) a ball fixed to a proximal end of said stem and 2) a spherical socket located in said head portion and forming a housing for said ball, an axis of revolution of the head portion being offset with respect to the center of said ball, the socket and the ball constituting a joint capable of making the orientation of the head portion vary in relation to the stem by rotation about said center of the ball, and means for selectively locking the head portion in position on the ball so as to prevent any motion of the head portion with respect to the ball.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said means for selectively locking comprises means for expanding the ball into locking engagement with the spherical socket in the head portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A prosthesis according to claim 2, wherein the ball has a median slot and an axial conical bore formed therein to facilitate expansion thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
237 words
A total shoulder prosthesis comprising: a humeral stem designed to be implanted within a patient's humeral canal, a head portion with a spherical shape generated by revolution about an axis designed to cooperate with the glenoid cavity of the shoulder, a link assembly connecting said head portion to the humeral stem, said link assembly comprising 1) a ball fixed to a proximal end of said stem and 2) a spherical socket located in said head portion and forming a housing for said ball, an axis of revolution of the head portion being offset with respect to the center of said ball, the socket and the ball constituting a joint capable of making the orientation of the head portion vary in relation to the stem by rotation about said center of the ball, and means for locking the head portion in position on the ball, wherein said means for locking comprise 1) at least one median slot and one axial conical bore leading into the median slot, the median slot and the axial conical bore being located in the ball, 2) a conical push-rod positioned in said stem, and 3) a screw which acts upon said conical push-rod in such a way that tightening the screw exerts a force of pressure on the axial conical bore of the ball that compresses the ball against the spherical socket in the head portion through blocked lateral expansion of the ball.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
237 words
A total shoulder prosthesis comprising: a humeral stem designed to be implanted within a patient's humeral canal, a head portion with a spherical shape generated by revolution about an axis designed to cooperate with the glenoid cavity of the shoulder, a link assembly connecting said head portion to the humeral stem, said link assembly comprising 1) a ball fixed to a proximal end of said stem and 2) a spherical socket located in said head portion and forming a housing for said ball, an axis of revolution of the head portion being offset with respect to the center of said ball, the socket and the ball constituting a joint capable of making the orientation of the head portion vary in relation to the stem by rotation about said center of the ball, and means for locking the head portion in position on the ball, wherein said means for locking comprise 1) at least one median slot and one axial conical bore leading into the median slot, the median slot and the axial conical bore being located in the ball, 2) a conical push-rod positioned in said stem, and 3) a screw which acts upon said conical push-rod in such a way that tightening the screw exerts a force of pressure on the axial conical bore of the ball that compresses the ball against the spherical socket in the head portion through blocked lateral expansion of the ball.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of positioning a total shoulder prosthesis comprising: implanting a humeral stem within a patient's humeral canal; providing a head portion with a spherical shape generated by revolution about an axis of revolution, the head portion being designed to cooperate with the glenoid cavity of the patient's shoulder, mounting a spherical socket of the head portion on a ball fixed to a proximal end of the stem, the spherical socket forming a housing for the ball, then varying the orientation of the head portion in relation to the stem by rotating the head portion about the center of the ball, said rotation occurring about an axis that is offset from the axis of revolution of the head portion, and then locking the head portion in position on the ball so as to prevent any motion of the head portion with respect to the ball.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of positioning a total shoulder prosthesis comprising: implanting a humeral stem within a patient's humeral canal; providing a head portion with a spherical shape generated by revolution about an axis of revolution, the head portion being designed to cooperate with the glenoid cavity of the patient's shoulder, mounting a spherical socket of the head portion on a ball fixed to a proximal end of the stem, the spherical socket forming a housing for the ball, then varying the orientation of the head portion in relation to the stem by rotating the head portion about the center of the ball, said rotation occurring about an axis that is offset from the axis of revolution of the head portion, and then locking the head portion in position on the ball so as to prevent any motion of the head portion with respect to the ball.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the locking step comprises expanding the ball into locking engagement with the spherical socket in the head portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the ball has a median slot and an axial conical bore formed therein to facilitate expansion thereof during the expanding step.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the expanding step comprises tightening a screw to exert a force of pressure on the axial conical bore that compresses the ball against the spherical socket in the head portion through blocked lateral expansion of the ball.