Medical implant system

Abstract

An implant including a bone fixture configured to anchor to bone of a recipient, and a structural component configured to be connected to the bone fixture and connect a functional component of the implant to the bone fixture, wherein at least one of the bone fixture or the structural component includes a deformable element configured to deform to form an anti-microbial seal between the bone fixture and the structural component, and the at least one deformable element and the respective at least one bone fixture or structural component form a monolithic structure.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An extra-oral percutaneous prosthesis, comprising:
 a monolithic bone fixture configured to anchor to bone of a recipient via outer threads of the bone fixture, wherein the bone fixture also includes internal threads; 
 an external removable unit of a percutaneous bone conduction device including a vibrator, wherein the external removable unit transforms sound into mechanical vibrations; 
 a monolithic abutment configured to be retainably connected to the bone fixture, wherein a distal portion of the abutment is further configured to be in direct contact with the bone fixture and a proximal portion of the abutment defines a coupling portion configured to couple with and support the external removable unit to be connected to the bone fixture, wherein the abutment comprises an inner wall and an inner bottom; and 
 a screw having a head, the screw configured be extended through the abutment, so as to bolt the abutment to the bone fixture by threading with the internal threads of the bone fixture such that the head rests on the abutment at a distance away from the bone fixture, wherein 
 at least one of the bone fixture or the abutment includes a deformable element comprising at least one of a projecting element or an annular corner configured to deform to form an anti-microbial seal between the bone fixture and the abutment establishing a seal between an interior of the prosthesis and an external environment, 
 wherein the deformable element and at least one of the bone fixture or the abutment form a monolithic structure, and is configured to deform upon threadably tightening of the screw, thereby pressing the abutment against the bone fixture to form the anti-microbial seal, and 
 wherein the deformable element is configured to at least one of plastically or elastically deform against a contact surface of the other of the abutment or bone fixture. 
 
     
     
       2. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the deformable element is part of the bone fixture. 
 
     
     
       3. The prosthesis of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the contact surface is a contact surface of the abutment, and the deformable element is configured to deform against the contact surface of the abutment, and 
 the deformable element includes the annular corner and is configured such that the corner deforms against the contact surface when the contact surface is pressed against the corner while the contact surface is at an oblique angle relative to the corner. 
 
     
     
       4. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the deformable element is part of the abutment. 
 
     
     
       5. The prosthesis of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the contact surface is a contact surface of the bone fixture, and the deformable element is configured to deform against the contact surface of the bone fixture, and 
 the deformable element includes the annular corner and is configured such that the corner deforms against the contact surface when the contact surface is pressed against the corner while the contact surface is at an oblique angle relative to the corner. 
 
     
     
       6. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the abutment comprises an interior base surface including a plurality of openings therein spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
       7. The prosthesis  claim 1 , wherein the deformable element is configured to plastically deform to form the anti-microbial seal. 
     
     
       8. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the deformable element deforms to compensate for surface imperfections of the contact surface to form the anti-microbial seal. 
 
     
     
       9. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable element of the bone fixture or the abutment is configured to deform against the contact surface of the other of the bone fixture or abutment, thereby reducing at least one of gaps or holes between the deformable element and the contact surface otherwise passable therethrough by microbes to form the anti-microbial seal. 
     
     
       10. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-microbial seal is an air tight seal. 
     
     
       11. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bone fixture includes a female portion; 
 the abutment includes a male portion; and 
 at least a portion of the male portion of the abutment is located in at least a portion of the female portion of the bone fixture. 
 
     
     
       12. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bone fixture includes a female portion; 
 the abutment includes a male portion; and 
 all portions of the bone fixture are located outside of the abutment. 
 
     
     
       13. The prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable element is configured to elastically deform to form the anti-microbial seal.