Acetabular prosthesis with anchoring pegs

Abstract: An acetabular cup prosthesis (10) as a cup body (14) with a plurality of bores (18) extending between an inner concave surface (16) and an outer convex surface (17), wherein the bores (18) can function as drill guides for providing alignment in the drilling of surgical openings (70) after the acetabular cup body (14) is placed in a patient. A plurality of pegs or spikes (25-29) have proximate end portions (31) that have connection members for forming connections (39) with the bores (18), and distal end portions (38A) that can register into the drilled surgical openings (70).

Description: The present invention relates to acetabular prosthetic devices and more particularly to an improved acetabular prosthesis wherein the prosthesis has a cup or shell that includes radially extending bores therethrough that can be used as drill guides by a surgeon after the acetabular cup or shell has been placed in the patient's acetabulum. Holes can be drilled surgically into the underlying bone tissue using the drill guide openings so that one or more pegs for improved anchoring can be placed into the bores and anchored into the underlying surgical openings. There are a number of commercially available acetabular prosthetic devices that include a cup shaped body, some of which have projections extending from the outer surface of the cup-shaped body. For example, US Patent No. 3939497 describes a socket for a hip joint prosthesis which is secured to a cavity in the bone tissue by a series of radially arranged pegs which can be projected outwardly from the wall of the socket into the surrounding tissue by a central screw which also has a self-tapping thread that enters the tissue. US Patent no. 4685923 provides a hip joint socket made from a plastics material that can be installed without the use of bone cement or adhesive. The socket comprises a hemisphere of polyethylene. The socket may have four bores extending skewed to the equatorial plane to permit the surgeon to fix the socket in the acetabulum by means of screws or dowels temporarily or permanently. The primary anchoring is provided by two plugs or pins arranged on the outer surface of a socket. The pins may be substantially parallel to each other. The pins are inserted in bore holes drilled into the bone. The bore holes are drilled so that the pins are inserted under stress. A secondary anchor in the form of flaps are present near the actuarial plane of the socket. These flaps supplement the anchoring affect of the pins. In US Patent No. 4792337 an acetabular cup is provided which has a metallic anchoring shell. The cup is form cement-less fixation in the acetabulum. The shell has several holes through which screws are driven into the bone. The screws have rounded heads and the holes are countersunk so that the orientation of the screws may be varied with respect to the cup and each other. In US Patent No. 4828565 there is provided a cotyliodal component for a non-cemented hip prosthesis. The component has two parts, a titanium hemispherical shell and a cup of polymer which is engaged into it. The shell has two zones, the first zone is covered with porous titanium capable of being invaded by a spongy bone and also has two projecting pieces. The other zone has a smooth metal surface. Two screws pass through the projecting pieces and are used to anchor the component in the acetabulum. Another acetabular cup for cement-less fixation in the acetabulum is described in European Patent Application No. 13863 published June 8, 1990. The cup is anchored to the bone by a central pin and a number of other pins distributed over the surface of the cup. The pins have several sawtooth notches along their length. The bone may be pre-drilled to take the pins. European Patent Application No. 169978 published May 2, 1986, describes an acetabular cup which has an outer shell embedded into the patient's pelvis. The outer shell has a frustro-conical skirt and a spherical central cap. The shell has a number of small tufts with rounded ends projecting from its surface. The tufts are embedded in the bone tissue to provide improved anchorage. In European Patent Application No. 211169 published February 25, 1987, an acetabular cup is described in which an external boss protrudes from the outer surface of the acetabulum body to fit into a pre-drilled hole in the acetabulum. The cup also has two anchoring lugs in the meridian plane. The lugs take screws to aid in anchoring the cup. Other references in the patent literature which describe acetabular cups include European Patent Application No. 212087 published April 3, 1987, wherein metallic pins project from the surface of the cup and contain holes in which tissue may grow. In European Patent No. 341198 published November 8, 1989, an acetabular cup has a metal outer shell and a plastics body for retaining the hip joint head. The shell is frustro-conical in cross-section with an opening at an apex and circular teeth around the outside. Three or more anchoring dowels parallel to the convexes protrude from the outer surface of the shells. The dowels are slotted and provide with circular teeth of a sawtooth central bolt may be fitted into the dowel to provide a rounded end. The use of cement for fixation of acetabular process, and in some cases the use of spacers, is found in US Patent Nos. 4563778 and 4566138. This concept of the use of bone cement and spacers is also seen in United Kingdom Patent Nos. 1170295 and 2080118. US Patent No.4923473, issued to Peter Griss et al, entitled "Hemispherical Acetabulum", relates to a hemispherical acetabulum having a fixing pin which projects from the outside surface of the acetabulum. In prior art acetabular cup prosthetic devices, the projections or spacers are often for the sole purpose of providing a space from the bone tissue that can be occupied by bone cement. Further, many acetabular cup prosthetic devices carry projections on their outer surface which are a part of the prosthesis as constructed and which cannot be added thereafter. Still other prosthetic devices in the form of acetabular cups provide pegs which must be affixed to the tissue before the acetabular cup is placed in the position. Pegs which are preattached to the cup may require predrilling or other preparation which includes impaction for the purpose of forcing the projections into the bone. The bone bed may require advance preparation in some devices to accept the protrusions. German Patent No.DE-A-3310944 describes an acetabular cup prosthesis comprising a sliding socket and a bearing socket, said bearing socket having a plurality of openings forming elongated bore walls, the openings being positioned to define one or more drill guides, and at least one peg member insertable into one of the said openings. However, the prosthesis is provided with a hollow space between the sliding socket and the bearing socket which runs around the pole area. The present invention seeks to provide an improved acetabular cup prosthesis wherein the prosthesis body (ie. the cup or shell) is provided with pegs which are attachable to the shell. In accordance with the present invention there is provided an acetabular cup prosthesis (10), comprising: a) an acetabular cup body (14) having an inner concave surface (16) and an outer convex surface (17); b) a plurality of openings (18) that extend between the inner and outer surfaces (16 and 17) along lines that converge at or near the center of curvature of the inner concave surface (16), the openings (18) forming elongated bores surrounded by a bore wall portion (19) of the acetabular cup body (14); c) the openings (18) being positioned to define one or more drill guides so that the surgeon can drill into the underlying tissue and form surgical openings therein via one or more of the openings; d) at least one peg member (25) being insertable into and registering respectively with one of the openings (18), having a first proximate end portion (31) having means thereon for forming a connection with the acetabular cup body (14) at the said one of the openings (18) and with the bore wall (19), and a second distal end portion (38A) adapted to extend into bone tissue; characterised in that the inner concave and outer convex surfaces (16, 17) are of parallel curvature. The shell preferably includes openings therethrough which can function as drill guides for the surgeon after the cup has been placed in the acetabular base. The present invention affords improved fixation and stability of the component because pegs or spikes can be placed in the acetabular cup body after it has been placed in position by the surgeon. The pegs or spikes can be easily removed and easily installed from the concave side of the acetabular cup body component notwithstanding the fact that the acetabular cup body component has already being placed in operative position in the patient. With the present invention, a multiplicity of pegs or spikes can be rigidly attached to an acetabular cup prosthesis body for the purpose of securing it in place in the acetabular bone. This can be done through an opening or bore which is interchangeably used for a desired peg or spike. A bone screw can be used through one of the openings if desired. With the present invention, the acetabular cup can be placed in its desired position in the pelvis by the surgeon. The pegs are then added to the cup body and attached to the prosthesis in a rigid fashion. The peg or spike protrudes through the acetabular cup body and into the underlying bone tissue of the acetabulum to provide a mechanical locking of the acetabular cup (including pegs) into the pelvis. The surgeon can use a pre-drill before placing the peg or spike wherein the opening or bore in the acetabular cup body functions as a drill guide. Pegs can be selectively placed so that they are not aligned with each other but are at angles to each other which aids in the mechanical stability of the acetabular cup body. The apparatus uses a plurality of pegs or spikes that can be of different shapes and which can use a taper lock, barb lock, knurl lock, or screw lock or compression friction lock for forming a rigid connection with the acetabular cup at the bores or drill guide openings. The interference fit assures a rigid connection between peg and cup body so that each peg and cup body move together, rather than relative to one another. Relative motion causes possible contact between a peg and any polymer liner, creating the problem of liner debris generation. The pegs are smooth along the distal portion thereof so that movement of the peg and cup as a unit will not disrupt adjacent bone tissue. The plurality of openings in the shell or cup extend between the inner and outer surfaces along radial lines that can merge at or near the centre of curvature of the inner concave surface of the cup body, the openings forming elongated bores surrounded by a bore wall of the acetabular cup body. The cup body or shell can be spherical in form, or non spherical in form eg. an egg-shaped or ovoid. The openings are positioned to define one or more drill guides so that the surgeon can selectively drill into the underlying tissue through one or more of the openings and form surgical openings therein in the underlying bone tissue. There are preferably a plurality of peg members, each being insertable into and registering with one or more of the openings in the prosthetic body, the peg members having a first proximate end portion having means thereon for forming a rigid connection with the acetabular cup body at one of the openings and with the bore wall, and a second distal end portion adapted to extend into the underlying tissue (eg. into surgically formed openings) after the cup body has been implanted in a patient. The relationship between peg and the bore wall enables load transfer to occur between the cup body and peg members without there being substantial rotational or translational movement, for example migration of the peg in a direction along the axis of the opening, between the cup body and each peg member. The apparatus of the present invention may be surgically implanted by the following procedure which comprises a) placing a hemispherically shaped cup in the patient's acetabulum, the cup having an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface, the concave and convex surfaces being spaced apart a distance that defines the thickness of the cup, and the cup having a plurality of radially extending openings that each communicate with the cup concave and convex surfaces; b) drilling a bore into the patient's acetabulum via the selected opening; c) optionally using a selected radially extending opening as a drill guide to align a drill bit after placement of the cup into the patient's acetabulum; d) inserting a peg having proximate and distal end portions into the opening and the bore wherein the distal portion registers in the bore and the proximate portion registers with the opening in the cup; and e) forming a rigid connection between the proximate end of the peg and the cup at the opening. The invention will be further described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figures 4-4A are fragmentary views of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figures 5A-5C are bottom, side, and top views of peg portions of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figures 6A-6C are bottom, side, and top views of another peg as used with the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figures 7A-7C are bottom, side and top views of a spike member as used with the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 are peg members used with the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention including respectively thread lock, barb lock, taper lock and knurl lock embodiments thereof; Figures 12A-12D are alternate constructions of a locking pin member used with the taper locking embodiment of the spike; Figure 13 is a perspective fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the peg locking screw portion thereof; Figure 14 is a perspective fragmentary view of one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating an interface of the peg locking screw with one of the pegs of Figures 5A-5C; and Figure 15 is a partial sectional view illustrating the peg of Figure 10. Figure 16 is a perspective view of a second and preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 17 is a fragmentary view illustrating a peg member used with the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 18 is a fragmentary view illustrating the closure member portion of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and Figure 19 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 20 is a another fragmentary sectional view illustrating the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 21 is a another fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cup portion of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and Figure 22 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the cup and cup liner connection. In Figure 1 there can be seen a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10. In Figure 1, there can be seen a hip prosthesis member 11 mounted in a femur 12. The hip prosthesis 11 includes an upper ball portion 13 that registers with the acetabular prosthetic apparatus 10 of the present invention. The acetabular prosthesis 10 includes a cup body 14, preferably of a metallic material with a plastic liner 15 portion. The metallic cup body 14 includes an inner concave surface 16 and an outer convex surface 17. Referring to Figures 2 and 3 plurality of openings 18 in form of preferably elongated bores extend between the inner concave surface 16 and the outer convex surface 17. These openings are in the form of bores having a bore wall 19. The openings 18 can function as drill guides for the surgeon. Therefore, once the metallic cup body 14 portion of the acetabular cup prosthesis 10 is placed in position as shown in Figure 1, the surgeon can simply drill through any one of the plurality of bores forming an opening in the underlying bone tissue 20. When the surgeon places the cup body 14 in position as shown in Figure 1, the plurality of bores 18 can act as a drill guide for the surgeon, as the bore walls 19 of each opening 18 define a guide for a corresponding sized drill so that the surgeon can penetrate and form surgical openings in the bone tissue 20. A selected surgically formed opening is then occupied by a peg 25 - 29, which may extend into the bone tissue at a different angular position with respect to the other pegs to provide a rigid anchor for the cup 14. Pegs 25 - 29 can be polymer, metal, or other resorbable polymer. It should be noted that it is not necessary that surgical openings be formed behind all openings 18. Once the pegs 25 - 28 are placed into operative position, a strong connection is formed between the outer surface of each peg 25 - 28 and the walls 19 of each opening or bore 18. In Figures 5A-5C, 6A-6C, 7A-7C and 8 - 11, various embodiments of the pegs, their respective attachments to the cup body 14 are illustrated. In Figure 8, peg 25A includes a proximate end portion 31 and a distal end portion 38A and a central longitudinal axis 34. A smaller diameter section 33 connects with a larger diameter section 32 that is covered with an external spiralling thread 39. The thread 39 bites into and interfaces with the cup body 14 at the wall 19 of each opening 18. The opening or bore wall 19 can also be internally threaded to engage the thread 39. In Figure 9, peg 25B is provided with a proximate end 31, a distal end 38, a smaller diameter section 33, and a larger diameter section 32 that carries a plurality of annular barb rings 40. When the peg 25B is forced into the opening 18, the barbs 40 form a tight fit with the cup body 14 at the wall 19 of each opening 18. In the embodiment of Figures 10 and 15, peg 25C provides a proximate, larger diameter 41 end portion, a smaller generally cylindrical distal end portion 44, and a transitional frusto-conical section 42, and a domed end 43. Similarly, in Figure 11, peg 25D has a proximate, larger diameter 45 portion, a curved annular transition section 46, a smaller and generally cylindrical section 47, and a domed end portion 48. The large diameter section 41 and the frusto-conical portion 42 can also be seen in Figure 15 in a partial sectional view. The larger diameter and frusto-conical sections 41, 42 surround an internally threaded bore 68 which accepts set screw 30. The screw 30 is sized to expand the enlarged 41 and frusto-conical 42 sections slightly when the peg 25C is placed in position within one of the bores 18 which would be similar in shape to the outside surface of frusto-conical portion 42 and enlarged portion 41. When the set screw 30 is fully threaded into the threaded opening 68, so that the external thread 67 of the set screw 30 engages the internal thread 68 of the bore, a taper lock connection or interference fit is formed between the peg 25C and the wall 19 of opening 18. Internal threads 68 in Figure 15 can also be used as an extraction or holding means for placing and removing the peg 25C. Peg 25C would be used then without a screw 30. The set screw 30 can have different tooled sockets, as shown in Figures 12A - 12D. In Figure 12A, a set screw 30A includes a square tooled socket 63. In Figure 12B, the set screw 30B has a X-shaped slot 64 for receiving a Phillips-type screwdriver, for example. In Figure 12C, the set screw 30C has a single transverse slot 65 and in the embodiment of Figure 12B, the set screw 30B has an hexagonal tool socket 66. Other tooled sockets could be employed. In Figures 4-4A the pegs 25C can be shown extending from the convex 17 surface of cup body 14 and into a surgically formed opening 70 which is formed by the drill that penetrates the opening 18. In such a situation, the surgeon simply uses the opening 18 as a drill guide for a similarly shaped drill when forming surgical opening 63. In Figures 5A-5C, an alternative construction of the peg is illustrated, designated generally by the numeral 50A. Peg 50A includes a rounded or hemispherical end portion 51 and a proximate end portion 55 that includes two longitudinally extending slots 52. In the embodiments of Figures 6A-6C, the peg 50B provides a hemispherical distal tip 51 and a single longitudinally extending transverse slot 52 forming two peg sections 55. Enlarged annular shoulder 53 and smaller diameter recess 54 are also provided in the embodiment of Figures 6A-6C. In the embodiment of the Figures 7A-7C, a spike-shaped peg 56 is provided having a pointed tip portion 57, and a plurality of bevelled surfaces 58 that connect with a cylindrical peg body portion that includes an enlarged annular section 60 and a smaller diameter constricted section 59. The proximate end portion 61 of the peg includes a longitudinally extending Y-shaped slot 62, as seen in Figures 7B and 7C. Figures 16-22 illustrate another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 70. Acetabular cup apparatus 70 includes a cup body 71 to which can be removably affixed a plastic cup liner 72 made of polyethylene for example. Liner 72 has an inner concave surface 73 and an external convex surface 74. Liner 72 is in the form of a hemispherical member having an annular base 75 with a plurality of curved members extending around the periphery of liner 72 at base 75 and which interface with a similarly shaped circumferential recess formed on cup body 71 to prevent rotation of liner 72 with respect to body 71. The cup body 71 is preferably metallic having an annular base 76 that defines a plane. The cup body 71 has an inner concave surface 77 and an external convex surface 78. The cup body 71 concave surface 77 is a shiny polished surface that faces the convex surface 74 of polymeric liner 72. The polished concave surface 77 has a roughness of less than 40µ (16 microinches), and preferably about 20µ (8 microinches). Such a highly polished surface 77 appears mirror-like. The polished concave surface 77 inhibits polymer liner debris generation. External surface 78 can be covered with a plurality of small metallic beads or the like forming a bone ingrowth surface 79. The apex 80 of cup body 71 has a through opening 81 that has an internal thread 82 for attachment thereto of a tool for inserting and/or removing the cup body 71 from its position in the acetabular bone tissue of a patient. A plurality of openings, for example four openings 84, 85, 86 and 87 are provided preferably in one quadrant 88 of cup body 71. Each opening 84-87 has an internal opening configuration that includes a larger diameter generally cylindrically shaped opening portion 91 and a smaller diameter opening portion 92 (Figure 20). The larger and smaller diameter sections 91, 92 are interfaced by an annular shoulder 393. The smaller diameter section 92 can be tapered from a point of maximum diameter adjacent annular shoulder 93 to a point of minimal diameter adjacent the annular shoulder 89. A second larger diameter cylindrical section 90 meets outer edge 94 of each opening 84-87. Pegs 95 can be selectively fitted into any one of the openings 84-87 during use. Each peg 95 has a tapered section 96 that includes a larger diameter circular base 97 defining a proximate end portion of peg 95. Distal end portion 98 of peg 95 is generally cylindrical and smooth, and includes a curved or hemispherical smooth tip 99. In Figure 20 force arrows are used to demonstrate that the above-described connection between each peg 95 and the cup body 71 is a substantially rigid connection that produces load transfer between each peg member and the cup body of tension loads, compression loads, axial torsion loads, and bend moment loading. Thus, the peg 95 does not rotate or back out with respect to the opening 85-87. The force arrow 117 is an angled force having both a bending force component (Fb) designated as 118 and a compression force component (Fc) designated as 119. The force arrows 120 and 124 show shear forces at the interface between peg 95 and cup body 71 at a selected opening 84 - 87. The force arrows 121A,B are force arrows that are resisting the shear forces and the force arrows 122A,B are resisting bending forces. A closure member 100 is shown in Figure 18-19 and includes a larger section 101 and a smaller diameter section 102. Annular shoulder 103 forms an interface between the larger 101 and smaller 102 diameter sections. Closure member 101 has an enlarged circular base 104 defining its proximate end portion during use and a smaller circular flat distal end 105. The larger diameter section 101 of closure member 100 can have a bevelled annular wall 106 for forming a wedge type fit with the larger diameter section 91 of a particular selected opening 84-87. In this manner, the closure member 100 can be placed in any one of the selected openings 84-87 and pressed into the selected opening 84-87 by the user even after the cup body 71 has been placed into operative position. The user simply presses the closure member 100 into one of the selected openings 84-87 by accessing the cup body 71 from the concave 77 side. The surgeon can close any one of the selected openings 84-87 using the closure member 100 after the cup body 71 has been placed in the desired operative position and anchored into position using one or more of the pegs 95. The closure member 100 may be placed in the shell 71 before implantation, such as during manufacturing, and then selectively removed by the surgeon before use of the shell 71. Each closure member 100 occupies a position in its selected opening 84-87 and between the convex 78 and concave 77 surfaces of shell or cup body 71. Each of the openings 84-87 has a generally cylindrical smaller diameter section 92 that can act as a drill guide for the surgeon so that drilled openings can be made into the underlying bone tissue after the acetabular cup body 71 has been placed into position. This allows one or more pegs to be placed into one or more of the selected openings 84-87. Any of the selected openings 84-87 that are not selected can be plugged using the closure member 100. This prevents the flow of the polyethylene liner into any of the openings 84-87 that are not occupied by a peg 95. The closure member 100 friction fits into the above-mentioned larger diameter portion 91 of the openings 84-87. In figure 22, the connection between cup 71 and liner 72 is illustrated with greater detail. Liner 72 can be rotated as shown by arrows 107 in figure 16 until the raised portion 75A of base 75 is in a selected position. The liner 70 is then fitted to the cup 71 by engaging the annular recess 116 of the cup 71 with the annular corrugated shoulder 108 of the liner 72. Shoulder 108 has an inclined annular shoulder that forms an acute angle of between about eighty and eighty five degrees with the flat upper surface 111 of annular base 75 of liner 72. The surface 111 is flat so as to register with the surface of base 76 of cup 71. The numeral 112 in figure 22 designates the angle between surface 111 and inclined annular wall 109. A recess 116 has a corresponding shape and size to the annular corrugated shoulder 108. The angle 113 formed between inner inclined annular surface 114 and annular surface 115 is the same angular measure as angle 112. This configuration of annular shoulder 108 and recess 116 provides a snap or interference fit between the liner shoulder 108 and the cup 71 at recess 116 which helps secure the liner 72 to the cup 71 during use.

Claims: An acetabular cup prosthesis (10), comprising: a) an acetabular cup body (14) having an inner concave surface (16) and an outer convex surface (17); b) a plurality of openings (18) that extend between the inner and outer surfaces (16 and 17) along lines that converge at or near the center of curvature of the inner concave surface (16), the openings (18) forming elongated bores surrounded by a bore wall portion (19) of the acetabular cup body (14); c) the openings (18) being positioned to define one or more drill guides so that the surgeon can drill into the underlying tissue and form surgical openings therein via one or more of the openings; d) at least one peg member (25) being insertable into and registering respectively with one of the openings (18), having a first proximate end portion (31) having means thereon for forming a connection with the acetabular cup body (14) at the said one of the openings (18) and with the bore wall (19), and a second distal end portion (38A) adapted to extend into bone tissue; characterised in that the inner concave and outer convex surfaces (16, 17) are of parallel curvature. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the openings (18) is a generally cylindrically shaped bore. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein the elongated bores include a generally cylindrical portion (44) and a generally frusto-conical portion (42). Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein each peg member (25) is generally cylindrical in configuration. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein each peg member (25) includes a section (45) of larger diameter and a section (47) of smaller diameter. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said larger diameter section (45) is a proximate end portion and said second smaller diameter section (47) is a distal end portion. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the peg members (25) carries external grooves for forming a connection with the wall of the elongated bores. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the connection forming means is positioned internally of the outer surface of said peg member (25). Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said peg member (25) has a central longitudinally extending bore and the connection forming means includes means for expanding the peg member at the central longitudinal bore. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the bore wall portion of the acetabular cup body (14) is comprised of a metallic material. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the connection forming means communicates with the first proximate end portion of the peg member (25). Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein each peg member (25) has a longitudinally extending slot that allows at least a portion of the peg member (25) to deflect laterally. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the peg member (25) forms an interference fit with the opening. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 or 13 wherein the peg member (25) has a longitudinally extending slot to allow the peg to deflect laterally in places along its length. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the peg has rounded distal end portion (51). Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the peg has pointed, beveled distal end portions (57). Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16 comprising means for expanding the diameter of the peg after insertion into the opening. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the peg has a longitudinally extended opening. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein the peg is of a variable diameter including an enlarged proximate end portion and a smaller diameter distal type portion and the enlarged diameter portion has means for forming a tight fit with the opening. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19 comprising a cup liner (72) that registers with and affixes to the cup body (14) at the cup body concave surface (73), with an annular shoulder on the liner (72) having an inclined annular sidewall that forms an acute angle with the base plane of the cup during use wherein the annular sidewall is corrugated and the annular recess has a corresponding corrugated surface adjacent thereto. Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the annular shoulder includes flat annular surface extending between the inclined annular sidewall and the outer surface of the liner. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 21 wherein the cup body concave surface (73) has polished inner surface means that faces the liner (72) for retarding liner debris generation, and including a polished surface having a roughness of less than 40.6µ (sixteen microinches). Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 22 comprising at least one peg closure member being insertable into and registering respectively with an opening and being disposed between the concave (73) and convex (74) surface of the cup body (14) during use. Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the peg closure member has a beveled annular wall portion. Apparatus according to claim 23 or claim 24 wherein the peg closure member has a first larger diameter portion and a second smaller diameter portion. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the peg closure member larger diameter portion defines a proximal end portion of the peg closure member. Apparatus according to any one of claims 23 to 26 wherein the peg closure member includes means for forming a wedge fit with an opening.

Inventors: RYAN DAWN MICHELLE, SCHRYVER JEFF, SHEA JEFF, RYAN, DAWN MICHELLE, SCHRYVER, JEFF, SHEA, JEFF
Applicants: SMITH & NEPHEW RICHARDS INC, SMITH & NEPHEW RICHARDS, INC.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A61F2
IPC codes: A61B17, A61F2