Magnetically mounted artificial joint

1. A prosthesis for replacing a bone junction, said prosthesis comprising a condyle ( 10 ) and a socket ( 12 ) of complementary spatial shape and a collar ( 14 ), said condyle ( 10 ), socket ( 12 ) and collar ( 14 ) each comprising a permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) and a shielding layer ( 20 ), the condyle ( 10 ) and the socket ( 12 ) as well as the condyle ( 10 ) and the collar ( 14 ) being separated by a gap ( 24 ), said permanent magnet layers ( 18 ) of condyle ( 10 ), socket ( 12 ) and collar ( 14 ) having like polarity, the flux density of said permanent magnet layers ( 18 ) of condyle ( 10 ) and socket ( 12 ) being at least 0.4 Tesla, and the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) of collar ( 14 ) having at most the flux density of the permanent magnet layers ( 18 ) of condyle ( 10 ) and socket ( 12 ).

2. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the condyle ( 10 ), the socket ( 12 ) and/or the collar ( 14 ) have a contact layer ( 16 ) and/or a support layer ( 22 ).

3. The prosthesis according to claim 2 , wherein, the socket ( 12 ) and/or the collar ( 14 ) have layer ( 16 ) and a layer ( 22 ), and wherein the contact layer ( 16 ), the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ), the support layer ( 22 ) and the shielding layer ( 20 ) are arranged in the order as mentioned.

4. The prosthesis according to claim 2 , wherein the contact layer ( 16 ), the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) and/or the shielding layer ( 20 ) simultaneously function as the support layer ( 22 ).

5. The prosthesis according to claim 2 , wherein the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ), the shielding layer ( 20 ) and/or the support layer ( 22 ) simultaneously function as the contact layer ( 16 ).

6. The prosthesis according to claim 2 , wherein the condyle ( 10 ), the socket ( 12 ) and/or the collar ( 14 ) have a contact layer ( 16 ), wherein the contact layer ( 16 ) comprises plastic, ceramic, steel or titanium.

7. The prosthesis according to claim 6 , wherein the contact layer ( 16 ) comprises PE plastic or cobalt-chromium alloy.

8. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the socket ( 12 ) and the collar ( 14 ) have a spherical concave shape and the condyle ( 10 ) has a convex spherical shape.

9. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the collar ( 14 ) is arranged on a side of the condyle ( 10 ) facing away from the socket ( 12 ).

10. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the socket ( 12 ) and the collar ( 14 ) are mechanically connected by means of a connecting element ( 28 ).

11. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the condyle ( 10 ) and the collar ( 14 ) have complementary spatial shapes.

12. The prosthesis according claim 1 , wherein the prosthesis has a maximum load limit which corresponds to at least 1.5 times the static load.

13. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) consists of a ceramic oxide material or a metal of subgroup VIII or an alloy thereof.

14. The prosthesis according to claim 13 , wherein the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) comprises a ceramic oxide material of barium oxide or iron oxide.

15. The prosthesis according to claim 13 , wherein the permanent magnetic layer ( 18 ) comprises a metal of subgroup VIII being-iron, cobalt or nickel.

16. The prosthesis according to claim 13 , wherein the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) comprises an alloy of said subgroup VIII metal being an alloy among iron, cobalt or nickel, or an alloy thereof with platinum or rare earths.

17. The prosthesis according to claim 16 , wherein the alloy of said subgroup VIII metal is a neodymium-iron-boron alloy or a cobalt-samarium alloy.

18. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the shielding layer ( 20 ) effects shielding of the magnetic field of the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) on the side facing away from the gap ( 24 ) by a factor of at least 1,000.

19. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the shielding layer ( 20 ) comprises a magnetically soft material and/or a magnet with a polarity opposite to that of the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ).

20. The prosthesis according to claim 19 , wherein the shielding layer ( 20 ) comprises a magnetically soft material chosen from the group consisting of structural steel, iron, nickel, cobalt, mu-metal and a combination thereof.

21. The prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the support layer ( 22 ) consists of titanium, alloys thereof, or a woven fabric.

22. A method for replacing a bone junction in a mammal by fastening a condyle ( 10 ) of a prosthesis to an articular bone of the mammal, a socket ( 12 ) of the prosthesis with a shape complementary to that of condyle ( 10 ) to another articular bone of the mammal, and a collar ( 14 ) of the prosthesis to the socket ( 12 ) or a part of the mammal, said condyle ( 10 ), socket ( 12 ) and collar ( 14 ) each having a permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) and a shielding layer ( 20 ), the permanent magnet layers ( 18 ) of condyle ( 10 ), socket ( 12 ) and collar ( 14 ) being provided with like polarity and configured in such a way that repulsive magnetic forces produce a gap ( 24 ) between the condyle ( 10 ) and the socket ( 12 ) and between the condyle ( 10 ) and collar ( 14 ) when articular bone and prosthesis are under load.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein at least the condyle ( 10 ) and the socket ( 12 ) of the prosthesis are assembled outside of the mammal.

24. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the collar ( 14 ) is fastened mechanically to the socket ( 12 ) using a connecting element ( 28 ).

25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the gap ( 24 ) is caused to have a depth of from 1 to 10 mm.

26. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) is magnetized in situ.

27. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the shielding layer ( 20 ) of the socket ( 12 ) effects incomplete shielding of the permanent magnet layer ( 18 ) of the socket ( 12 ).