Hip joint prostheses

Abstract

A joint prosthesis comprising at least a first and a second load carrying member, the first load carrying member being substantially more shock absorbing and resilient than the second load carrying member.

1 . A joint prosthesis comprising at least a first and a second load carrying member, said first load carrying member being substantially more shock absorbing and resilient than said second load carrying member.  
     
     
         2 . A joint prosthesis according to  claim 1  and wherein at least one of said first and said second portions is generally omega shaped.  
     
     
         3 . A joint prosthesis according to  claim 1  or  claim 2  and wherein at least one of said load carrying members is characterized in having at least one of strength and elasticity generally similar to that of human cartilage.  
     
     
         4 . A hip joint prosthesis comprising a load carrying, spherical femoral head which is adapted to articulate both with an acetabulum and with an upper portion of a thigh.  
     
     
         5 . A hip joint prosthesis comprising an artificial, self-articulating, load carrying femoral head, said head being attachable to at least one of an acetabulum and an upper portion of a thigh.  
     
     
         6 . A joint prosthesis according to any of the preceding claims and wherein at least one of said load carrying members comprises at least one delimiting rail adapted for moving in a corresponding delimiter groove for controlling movement of said prosthesis.  
     
     
         7 . A joint prosthesis according to any of the preceding claims and wherein at least one of said load carrying members has at least one delimiting groove and said prosthesis comprises at least one delimiter rail adapted for moving in said groove for controlling movement of said prosthesis.  
     
     
         8 . A hip joint prosthesis comprising an artificial femoral head which articulates with either of an artificial acetabulum and an artificial femoral socket, wherein said artificial femoral head comprises a device for substantially preventing dislocation of said artificial femoral head from either of said artificial acetabulum and said artificial femoral socket.  
     
     
         9 . A hip joint prosthesis according to  claim 8  and wherein said device for substantially preventing dislocation is shock absorbing.  
     
     
         10 . A hip joint prosthesis according to either of claims  8  and  9  and wherein said femoral head has at least one passageway for a fluid.  
     
     
         11 . A hip joint prosthesis according to any of claims  8 - 10  and comprising a sleeve which envelops at least one portion of said prosthesis and which is attachable to at least one of a portion of an innominate bone and a thigh.  
     
     
         12 . A hip joint prosthesis according to  claim 11  and wherein said sleeve comprises a fabric.  
     
     
         13 . A hip joint prosthesis according to  claim 12  wherein said fabric comprises a material selected from the group consisting of DYNEEMA, polyethylene, nylon and polyurethane.  
     
     
         14 . A hip joint prosthesis according to any of claims  8 - 13  and wherein said femoral head comprises a plurality of alternating adjacent portions of substantially rigid and substantially resilient materials.  
     
     
         15 . A hip joint prosthesis according to any of claims  8 - 14  and further comprising a stem insertable into a femur.  
     
     
         16 . A hip joint prosthesis according to any of claims  8 - 15  and comprising an outer layer attachable to a femur, said outer layer comprising a material compatible with human tissue.  
     
     
         17 . A joint prosthesis comprising at least a first and a second load carrying member, wherein said at least first and second load carrying members are snap fit to each other.  
     
     
         18 . A joint prosthesis comprising at least a first load carrying member, wherein said at least first load carrying member is snap fit to at least one of a natural or artificially formed socket in at least one natural or artificial bone element.  
     
     
         19 . A crown-shaped prosthesis comprising an element which is configured to hug and snugly fit circumferentially around and on top of a bone and is operative to distribute stresses evenly on said bone.  
     
     
         20 . A bone connector comprising an elongate member which is sufficiently flexible to be insertable into a bored portion of a bone and deform to adapt to a changing curvature of said bone, and is structurally stable after being fixed to said bone.  
     
     
         21 . An artificial acetabulum comprising a shock absorbing and resilient interface having a cut-out portion and a ridge, said ridge being pressingly fit into a recess of an innominate bone.  
     
     
         22 . An artificial acetabulum according to  claim 21  and comprising a deformable, resilient flange with expandable, accordion-like folds.  
     
     
         23 . An artificial acetabulum according to either of claims  21  and  22  and wherein said interface includes a load bearing and shock absorbing surface for a femoral head.  
     
     
         24 . An artificial acetabulum according to any of claims  21 - 23  and comprising a locking piece complementary shaped and sized to snugly fit into said cut-out.  
     
     
         25 . An artificial acetabulum according to any of claims  21 - 24  and further comprising an articulation portion which snaps together with a recess formed in said interface.  
     
     
         26 . A knee joint prosthesis comprising a femoral portion and a tibial portion, said femoral portion being attachable to a femur and said tibial portion being attachable to a tibia, said femoral portion articulating with said tibial portion, wherein at least one of said femoral portion and said tibial portion is load carrying and shock absorbing.  
     
     
         27 . A knee joint prosthesis according to  claim 26  and comprising a device operative to limit motion of the tibia with respect to the femur.  
     
     
         28 . A knee joint prosthesis according to  claim 27  and wherein said device operative to limit motion of the tibia with respect to the femur is shock absorbing.  
     
     
         29 . A knee joint prosthesis according to any of claims  26 - 28  and wherein said femoral portion is generally convex and said tibial portion is generally concave, as viewed looking upwards from the tibia.  
     
     
         30 . A knee joint prosthesis according to any of claims  26 - 28  and wherein said femoral portion is generally convex and said tibial portion is generally convex, as viewed looking upwards from the tibia.  
     
     
         31 . A knee joint prosthesis according to any of claims  26 - 29  and comprising at least one roller element, said femoral portion articulating with said tibial portion via said at least one roller element.  
     
     
         32 . A knee joint prosthesis according to any of claims  26 - 31  and having at least one fluid passageway.  
     
     
         33 . A bone fastener comprising a plurality of alternating adjacent portions of substantially rigid and substantially resilient materials.  
     
     
         34 . A bone fastener comprising a plurality of alternating adjacent first and second portions, said first portion having a substantially rigid configuration and said second portion having a substantially resilient configuration.  
     
     
         35 . A method of incision of a ligament comprising forming a substantially wave-like incision in said ligament.  
     
     
         36 . A method of insertion of a prosthesis for a hip joint comprising: 
 fixedly attaching a first joint element to an upper portion of a femur, said first joint element fitting substantially snugly with said upper portion of the femur;    fixedly attaching a second joint element to a portion of an innominate bone; and    inserting an artificial femoral head intermediate said first and said second joint elements, such that said artificial femoral head articulates with at least one of said first and said second joint elements.    
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 36  and comprising using one or more natural ligaments to strengthen said hip joint.  
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 36  and comprising using a one or more artificial ligaments to strengthen said hip joint.  
     
     
         39 . A method for limiting a range of movement of a hip joint comprising: 
 implanting a hip joint prosthesis comprising at least one delimiting rail and at least one delimiting groove, said at least one delimiting rail articulating with said at least one delimiting groove, such that said at least one delimiting groove limits articulation of said at least one delimiting rail therein.