Modular implant with a micro-motion damper

1. A modular implant, comprising:

a first orthopaedic component;

a second orthopaedic component releasably coupled to the first orthopaedic component;

a first micro-motion damper interposed between the first orthopaedic component and the second orthopaedic component, the first micro-motion damper damping micro-motion between the first and second orthopaedic components in a first direction; and

a second micro-motion damper interposed between the first orthopaedic component and the second orthopaedic component, the second micro-motion damper damping micro-motion between the first and second orthopaedic components in a second direction, the first and second directions being coplanar and the first direction being transverse to the second direction, at least one of the micro-motion dampers including a coiled spring.

2. A modular implant, comprising:

a first orthopaedic component;

a second orthopaedic component releasably coupled to the first orthopaedic component;

a first micro-motion damper interposed between the first orthopaedic component and the second orthopaedic component, the first micro-motion damper damping micro-motion between the first and second orthopaedic components in a first direction; and

a second micro-motion damper interposed between the first orthopaedic component and the second orthopaedic component, the second micro-motion damper damping micro-motion between the first and second orthopaedic components in a second direction, the first and second directions being coplanar and the first direction being transverse to the second direction, at least one of the micro-motion dampers including a metallic tape.

3. A knee prosthesis for insertion between a femur and a tibia, comprising:

a tibial baseplate;

a modular bearing removably mounted to the tibial baseplate;

a first resilient component positioned between the tibial component and the bearing, the first resilient component biasing the bearing relative to the baseplate in a first direction; and

a second resilient component positioned between the tibial component and the bearing, the second resilient component biasing the bearing relative to the baseplate in a second direction, the first and second directions being coplanar and the first direction being transverse to the second direction, at least one of the resilient components including a coiled spring.

4. A knee prosthesis for insertion between a femur and a tibia, comprising:

a tibial baseplate;

a modular bearing removably mounted to the tibial baseplate;

a first resilient component positioned between the tibial component and the bearing, the first resilient component biasing the bearing relative to the baseplate in a first direction; and

a second resilient component positioned between the tibial component and the bearing, the second resilient component biasing the bearing relative to the baseplate in a second direction, the first and second directions being coplanar and the first direction being transverse to the second direction, at least one of the resilient components including a flexed strip.

5. A modular joint prosthesis for insertion between two bones at a skeletal joint, the modular joint prosthesis comprising:

a first orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion;

a second orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion, the first orthopaedic component modular mounting portion engaging the second orthopaedic component modular mounting portion in releasable coupled relationship, the first orthopaedic component and second orthopaedic component defining play between them permitting the first orthopaedic component to move relative to the second orthopaedic component;

means for releasably locking the first orthopaedic component adjacent to the second orthopaedic component; and

means for resiliently biasing the first orthopaedic component relative to the second orthopaedic component to reduce movement between them, the means for biasing being separate from the means for releasably locking, the first orthopaedic component comprising a tibial bearing having a joint articulation surface and a modular mounting portion and the second orthopaedic component comprising a tibial baseplate having a portion implantable on the bone and a modular mounting portion, the tibial baseplate modular mounting portion comprising a recess with an inner sidewall; the tibial bearing modular mounting portion comprising a bottom portion receivable in the baseplate recess, the bottom portion including a peripheral sidewall corresponding to the inner sidewall of the baseplate recess; and the means for biasing comprising a resilient member mounted to the baseplate within the recess, the bearing peripheral sidewall being engageable with the resilient member upon insertion of the bearing into the baseplate recess and the bearing peripheral sidewall being disengageable from the resilient member upon removal of the bearing from the baseplate recess.

6. A modular joint prosthesis for insertion between two bones at a skeletal joint, the modular joint prosthesis comprising:

a first orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion;

a second orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion, the first orthopaedic component modular mounting portion engaging the second orthopaedic component modular mounting portion in releasable coupled relationship, the first orthopaedic component and second orthopaedic component defining play between them permitting the first orthopaedic component to move relative to the second orthopaedic component;

means for releasably locking the first orthopaedic component adjacent to the second orthopaedic component; and

means for resiliently biasing the first orthopaedic component relative to the second orthopaedic component to reduce movement between them, the means for biasing being separate from the means for releasably locking, the first orthopaedic component comprising a tibial bearing having a joint articulation surface and a modular mounting portion and the second orthopaedic component comprising a tibial baseplate having a portion implantable on the bone and a modular mounting portion, the tibial baseplate modular mounting portion comprising a recess with an inner sidewall; the tibial bearing modular mounting portion comprising a bottom portion receivable in the baseplate recess, the bottom portion including a peripheral sidewall corresponding to the inner sidewall of the baseplate recess; and the inner sidewall of the tibial baseplate modular mounting portion and the peripheral sidewall of the tibial bearing modular mounting portion defining a gap between them, the means for resiliently biasing comprising a resilient member positioned within the gap.

7. A modular joint prosthesis for insertion between two bones at a skeletal joint, the modular joint prosthesis comprising:

a first orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion;

a second orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion, the first orthopaedic component modular mounting portion engaging the second orthopaedic component modular mounting portion in releasable coupled relationship, the first orthopaedic component and second orthopaedic component defining play between them permitting the first orthopaedic component to move relative to the second orthopaedic component;

means for releasably locking the first orthopaedic component adjacent to the second orthopaedic component; and

means for resiliently biasing the first orthopaedic component relative to the second orthopaedic component to reduce movement between them, the means for biasing being separate from the means for releasably locking, the means for releasably locking comprising at least one means selected from the group consisting of a locking key, a groove, a dovetail, and a rail.

8. A modular joint prosthesis for insertion between two bones at a skeletal joint, the modular joint prosthesis comprising:

a first orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion;

a second orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion, the first orthopaedic component modular mounting portion engaging the second orthopaedic component modular mounting portion in releasable coupled relationship, the first orthopaedic component and second orthopaedic component defining play between them permitting the first orthopaedic component to move relative to the second orthopaedic component;

means for releasably locking the first orthopaedic component adjacent to the second orthopaedic component; and

means for resiliently biasing the first orthopaedic component relative to the second orthopaedic component to reduce movement between them, the means for biasing being separate from the means for releasably locking, the means for biasing comprising at least one means selected from the group consisting of a coiled spring, a flexed strip, a resilient cylinder, and a compressible gas filled cylinder.

9. A modular joint prosthesis for insertion between two bones at a skeletal joint, the modular joint prosthesis comprising:

a first orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion;

a second orthopaedic component having a modular mounting portion, the first orthopaedic component modular mounting portion engaging the second orthopaedic component modular mounting portion in releasable coupled relationship, the first orthopaedic component and second orthopaedic component defining play between them permitting the first orthopaedic component to move relative to the second orthopaedic component;

means for releasably locking the first orthopaedic component adjacent to the second orthopaedic component; and

means for resiliently biasing the first orthopaedic component relative to the second orthopaedic component to reduce movement between them, the means for biasing being separate from the means for releasably locking, the means for biasing comprises:

first means for biasing the first orthopaedic component relative to the second orthopaedic component in a first direction; and

second means for biasing the first orthopaedic component relative to the second orthopaedic component in a second direction, the first and second directions being coplanar and the first direction being transverse to the second direction.