Patent ID: 8292954
Filing Date: 2012-10-23
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An orthopedic implant configured to be inserted into a patient's joint, the implant comprising: a main body with a generally planar configuration, wherein the main body has a distal edge configured to be first inserted into the patient's joint; a first dimension orthogonal to the planar configuration; a second coplanar dimension orthogonal to the direction of insertion of the implant, wherein the implant is configured to resiliently decrease in size in the second dimension; an inner region at least partially surrounded by the main body, the inner region comprising a span member at least partially spanning the inner region, the span member comprising an inward proximal edge, wherein the inward proximal edge comprises at least one region that is closer to the distal edge of the main body than a widest point of the main body in the second dimension; and at least one transition region configured to gradually reduce the height of the main body in the first dimension to the height of the inner region in the first dimension, wherein the transition region comprises a slope selected from the group consisting of: a constant and a linear function of the distance of the transition region from a perimeter of the main body.