Non-planar orthopedic implants and methods

Abstract

Deformable joint implants with a generally hyperbolic paraboloid shape are disclosed, including configurations for delivery into the small joints of the body in the wrists, hands, ankle and feet, such as the first carpo-metacarpal joint, which comprises a double-saddle structure. The center of the implant may be supported, or supported and configured as a central opening. Implants with supported center regions may have a uniform or non-uniform thickness. A region of non-uniform, reduced thickness may be circular, oval or ring-like in shape, with a central support that may have an increased thickness relative to the perimeter region of the implant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An orthopedic implant, comprising:
 a body, with a proximal face, a distal face, and a perimeter edge therebetween, wherein the body has an unstressed hyperbolic paraboloid configuration and a stressed generally planar configuration;   wherein in the unstressed configuration, the proximal face has a convex region along a first direction of the body and a concave region along a second direction of the body that is orthogonal to the second direction of the body; and wherein the distal face has a concave region along the first direction of the body and a convex region along the second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a perimeter region along the perimeter edge, and a center region surrounded by the perimeter region. 
     
     
         3 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 2 , wherein the center region comprises an opening. 
     
     
         4 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 2 , wherein the perimeter region comprises a suture opening. 
     
     
         5 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 2 , wherein the center region comprises a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         6 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 5 , wherein the uniform thickness of the center region is generally equal to a maximum thickness between the proximal face and the distal face. 
     
     
         7 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 5 , wherein the uniform thickness of the center region is less than a maximum thickness between the proximal face and the distal face. 
     
     
         8 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 2 , wherein the center region comprises a non-uniform thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 8 , wherein the center region comprises a ring-shaped recess with a center support. 
     
     
         10 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 9 , wherein the center support has a greater thickness than a maximum thickness between the proximal face and the distal face. 
     
     
         11 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 10 , wherein the greater thickness of the center support is at least 20% greater than the maximum thickness between the proximal face and the distal face. 
     
     
         12 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 10 , wherein the greater thickness of the center support is at least 40% greater than the maximum thickness between the proximal face and the distal face. 
     
     
         13 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 9 , wherein the proximal face and the distal face have a ring-shaped recess. 
     
     
         14 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 7 , wherein the center region comprises a first oblong shaped border on the proximal face. 
     
     
         15 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 14 , wherein the center region comprises a second oblong shaped border on the distal face. 
     
     
         16 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 15 , wherein the first oblong shaped border comprises a first major axis and the second oblong shaped border comprises a second major axis that is orthogonal to the first major axis. 
     
     
         17 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 14 , wherein the first oblong shaped border is a rectangle or an oval. 
     
     
         18 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 1 , wherein the stressed generally planar configuration has a generally polygonal shape with rounded angles. 
     
     
         19 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 18 , wherein the stressed generally planar configuration has a generally square shape with rounded corners. 
     
     
         20 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 19 , wherein the rounded corners comprise a radius of curvature that is in the range of about 10% to about 49% of a maximum transverse dimension of the body. 
     
     
         21 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 20 , wherein the rounded corners comprise a radius of curvature that is in the range of about 25% to about 45% of a maximum transverse dimension of the body. 
     
     
         22 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 20 , wherein the rounded corners comprise a radius of curvature that is in the range of about 35% to about 48% of a maximum transverse dimension of the body. 
     
     
         23 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 7 , wherein the center region comprises a closed border on the proximal face and the maximum distance across the closed border is 12 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 23 , wherein the maximum distance across the closed border is 10 mm. 
     
     
         25 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 23 , wherein the maximum distance across the closed border is at least 5 mm. 
     
     
         26 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 1 , wherein the convex region along the first direction of the proximal face and/or the concave region along the second direction of the proximal face has a radius of curvature from about 3 mm to about 16 mm. 
     
     
         27 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 26 , wherein the convex region along the first direction of the proximal face and/or the concave region along the second direction of the proximal face has a radius of curvature from about 4 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         28 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 19 , wherein the rounded corners comprise a radius of curvature that is in the range of about 2 mm to about 4 mm. 
     
     
         29 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 19 , wherein the rounded corners comprise a radius of curvature that is in the range of about 3 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         30 . The orthopedic implant of  claim 19 , wherein the rounded corners comprise a radius of curvature that is in the range of about 4 mm to about 6 mm.