Mould and a method for forming an orthopaedic spacer made of medical cement

Abstract

The modular mould ( 1 ) for forming an orthopaedic spacer made of medical cement defines a moulding cavity ( 2 ) delimited by a moulding surface ( 3 ) configured for impressing a predetermined shape on the medical cement and realising the orthopaedic spacer. The mould ( 1 ) comprises a first sector ( 7 a ), defining at least a first portion ( 8 ) of the surface ( 3 ), and a second sector ( 7 b ) defining at least a second portion ( 12 ) of the surface ( 3 ). The mould ( 1 ) comprises at least a first forming insert ( 14 ) insertable in a housing ( 13 ) fashioned in at least one of said sectors ( 7 a , 7 b ) and comprises a respective portion ( 8, 12 ) of the surface ( 3 ), said respective portion ( 8, 12 ) of the surface ( 3 ) having an elongate shape which is configured for forming an elongate portion of said orthopaedic spacer.

1 . A modular mould ( 1 ) for forming an orthopaedic spacer made of medical cement defining a moulding cavity ( 2 ) delimited by a moulding surface ( 3 ) configured for impressing a predetermined shape on said medical cement and for realising said orthopaedic spacer, said mould ( 1 ) comprising a first sector ( 7   a ), defining at least a first portion ( 8 ) of said surface ( 3 ), and a second sector ( 7   b ) defining at least a second portion ( 12 ) of said surface ( 3 ), wherein said mould ( 1 ) comprises at least a first forming insert ( 14 ) insertable in a housing ( 13 ) fashioned in at least one of said sectors ( 7   a ,  7   b ) and comprising a respective portion ( 8 ,  12 ) of said surface ( 3 ), said respective portion ( 8 ,  12 ) of the surface ( 3 ) having an elongate shape which is configured for forming an elongate portion of said orthopaedic spacer. 
     
     
         2 . . The mould ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising a first moulding element ( 4   a ) and a second moulding element ( 4   b ) respectively comprising a first moulding surface ( 5   a ) and a second moulding surface ( 5   b ), each moulding surface ( 5   a ,  5   b ) comprising said first ( 8 ) and second portion ( 12 ), and wherein said first forming insert ( 14 ) comprises two complementary half-parts ( 14   a ,  14   b ), each being insertable in a respective housing ( 13 ) of a respective moulding element ( 4   a ,  4   b ). 
     
     
         3 . The mould ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said respective portion ( 8 ,  12 ) of the surface ( 3 ) defined by said first forming insert ( 14 ) has a tapered shape. 
     
     
         4 . The mould ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising a reinforcing element ( 15 ) insertable in said first portion ( 8 ) and said second portion ( 12 ) of the surface ( 3 ). 
     
     
         5 . The mould ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said first forming insert ( 14 ) is insertable in a housing ( 13 ) of the second sector ( 7   b ) and wherein the mould ( 1 ) further comprises a second forming insert ( 9 ) insertable in a respective housing of the first sector ( 7   a ) and preferably having a forming surface shaped as a concave spherical cap shape ( 11   b ) configured for impressing a respective convex spherical cap shape on a portion of medical cement. 
     
     
         6 . The mould ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said first moulding element ( 4   a ) and second moulding element ( 4   b ) are configured for being superposed one on another at an open lateral surface so as to define a containing volume of said medical cement in a superposed configuration of said first element ( 4   a ) and second element ( 4   b ), and a passage hole ( 6 ) for enabling passage of a portion of said medical cement for realising said orthopaedic spacer for said specific patient. 
     
     
         7 . The mould ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of said first forming inserts ( 14 ), inter-replaceable and respective portions ( 8 ,  12 ) of the surface ( 3 ) which have a shape, width and/or length that are different so as to realise a forming of orthopaedic spacers having different shapes and/or dimensions. 
     
     
         8 . A method for forming an orthopaedic spacer comprising steps of:
 predisposing a mould ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 ;   providing said reinforcing element ( 15 );   choosing a first forming insert ( 14 ) from among a plurality of first forming inserts according to conformational and/or dimensional aspects of the desired spacer;   providing said second forming insert ( 9 );   arranging said first forming insert ( 14 ) in said mould ( 1 );   arranging the second insert ( 9 ) in the mould;   positioning the reinforcing element in the mould so that it is located in the first insert ( 14 );   inserting bone cement in said mould ( 1 );   pressing said mould ( 1 ); and   once the bone cement has hardened, extracting the orthopaedic spacer from the mould.