Knee prosthesis

Abstract

A knee prosthesis for use in a total knee replacement surgical procedure may include a femoral component, a tibial component and a meniscal component. Optionally, the prosthesis may also include a patellar component. The femoral component may include a bone attachment side and a joint facing side, the latter including an anterior joint surface, a posterior joint surface having a cross-sectional shape defining a portion of a cylinder, and medial and lateral grooves between the anterior and posterior joint surfaces. The meniscal component may include a number of features designed to mate with the femoral component to provide relatively natural movement and range of motion about the knee joint as well as stability and resistance to wear and tear.

1 . A knee prosthesis for use in a total knee replacement surgical procedure, the knee prosthesis comprising:
 a femoral component comprising:
 a bone attachment side for attaching to a cut distal end of a femur; 
 a joint facing side opposite the bone attachment side comprising:
 an anterior joint surface; 
 a posterior joint surface having a cross-sectional shape defining a portion of a cylinder, wherein the posterior joint surface extends along at least 135 degrees of the cylinder and comprises:
 a lateral condyle; 
 a medial condyle; and 
 an intercondylar opening disposed between the lateral and medial condyles; and 
 medial and lateral grooves extending across the femoral component between the anterior joint surface and the medial and lateral condyles; 
 a tibial component comprising: 
  a bone attachment side for attaching to a cut proximal end of a tibia; and 
  a joint facing side opposite the bone attachment side; and 
  a meniscal component, having an inferior side for mating with the tibial component, a superior side for mating with the femoral component, an anterior side, a posterior side, a lateral side and a medial side, the meniscal component further comprising: 
  an anterior articulating surface on the superior side for mating with the anterior joint surface of the femoral component; 
  a posterior lateral articulating surface on the superior side for mating with the lateral condyle of the femoral component, the posterior lateral articulating surface having an approximately horizontal profile in an anterior-to-posterior direction; 
  a posterior medial articulating surface on the superior side for mating with the medial condyle of the femoral component, the posterior medial articulating surface having an upward sloping profile in an anterior-to-posterior direction; 
  medial and lateral projections on the superior side for mating with the medial and lateral grooves of the femoral component; 
  a post extending from the superior surface and configured to mate with the intercondylar opening of the femoral component, wherein a central axis of the post is disposed closer to the posterior side than to the anterior side of the meniscal component; and 
  an anterior cutout on the anterior side of the superior surface to prevent injury to a patellar tendon.