Surgically implantable prosthetic replacement devices are known in the art for replacement of joints in the hand or foot as well as elsewhere on the body. Often times these replacement devices are necessary as a result of accidents or diseases such as arthritis. It is desirable to provide a finger or toe prosthesis that imitates the natural range of movement of the replaced finger or toe, that allows slight twisting and lateral movement, but does not allow the joint to move in an unnatural way.
Another concern of a joint prosthesis is the potential failure of the device. Because of the small sized parts used in previous joint prosthesis, and especially when using metal, interfacing the prosthesis with the adjoining bones has been difficult. As a result, fatigue failures have occurred. It is therefore desirable to provide a joint prosthesis made of durable material compatible with human tissue and configured to minimize failure and to allow for replacement of the joint secondary to wear.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds