Non-resorbable meniscus prosthesis for the human knee joint

1. A meniscus prosthesis assembly comprising:

a meniscus prosthesis body made of a first biocompatible non-resorbable material and having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the shape of the meniscus prosthesis body approximates that of the patient's native meniscus;

a first cone-shaped bone plug made of a second biocompatible non-resorbable material for osseous integration, the first bone plug having a first end portion and a second end portion; and

a second cone-shaped bone plug made of said second biocompatible non-resorbable material for osseous integration, the second bone plug having a first end portion and a second end portion;

wherein the first end portion of the first bone plug is arranged at and operatively connected to the first end portion of the meniscus prosthesis body, wherein the first end portion of the second bone plug is arranged at and operatively connected to the second end portion of the meniscus prosthesis body, wherein the first bone plug and the second bone plug are fully integrated in the meniscus prosthesis body, and wherein the first biocompatible non-resorbable material and the second biocompatible non-resorbable material are the same or different,

further comprising a first suture, wherein the first suture is arranged at and operatively connected to the second end portion of the first bone plug, and a second suture, wherein the second suture is arranged at and operatively connected to the second end portion of the second bone plug.

2. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first suture has a first end portion and a second end portion and the first suture is fully integrated in the meniscus prosthesis body and the second bone plug and/or the first bone plug, and wherein the first end portion of the first suture extends from the second end of the first bone plug, and wherein the second end portion of the first suture extends from the second end of the second bone plug or from the second end portion of the meniscus prosthesis body.

3. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the meniscus prosthesis body is a copy of the native meniscus.

4. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first biocompatible non-resorbable material has a tear strength of between 110 KJ/m 2 and 1000 KJ/m 2 .

5. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first biocompatible non-resorbable material has a strain at break of between 750% and 2000%.

6. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first biocompatible non-resorbable material comprises a polymer, preferably selected from the group consisting of silicon rubbers and polyurethane carbonates.

7. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the meniscus prosthesis body comprises a porous outer rim, with pores having sizes in the range of 150-355 μm, determined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

8. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the meniscus prosthesis body comprises a porous outer rim, with pores having sizes in the range of 150-355 μm, determined with mercury intrusion porosimetry.

9. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second biocompatible non-resorbable material comprises a porous material having pore sizes in the range of 250-500 μm, determined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

10. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first biocompatible non-resorbable material and the second biocompatible non-resorbable material are the same.

11. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bone plugs are provided with a tricalcium-phosphate coating.

12. The meniscus prosthesis assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the meniscus prosthesis body comprises a gliding surface being arranged at an angle with a tibial plateau of between 20° and 45°.