Bone prosthesis for maintaining joint operation in complex joints
A prosthesis including a magnetic implant approximating the size of a bone to be replaced; a first magnetic bone implant securable to a first bone adjacent the bone to be replaced; and a second magnetic bone implant securable to a second bone adjacent the bone to be replaced. Each of the first and second magnetic bone implants have a magnetic relationship with the magnetic implant. A method of reconstructing a wrist includes removing a patient's scaphoid to create a void. The scaphoid has a plurality of adjacent bones, each of the adjacent bones comprising a surface generally facing the void. The surface of at least two of the adjacent bones is prepared by affixing a magnetic element thereto and a magnetic scaphoid implant is inserted into the void. A magnetic relationship exists between the magnetic elements and the magnetic scaphoid implant.
1. A method of reconstructing a complex multi-bone joint including more than three bones that move relatively, comprising:
removing a bone comprising part of the complex multi-bone joint to be reconstructed to create a void, bones in the complex multi-bone joint comprises cooperating surfaces and connecting ligaments, the removed bone having at least three adjacent bones, each of the adjacent bones comprising a surface generally facing the void;
replacing the surfaces of at least two of the adjacent bones generally facing the void with magnetic elements; and
inserting a magnetic implant into the void,
wherein at least one of the magnetic implant and the magnetic elements includes a magnet; and
wherein the removed bone is a talus and the adjacent bones include a navicular, a tibia, a fibula, and a calcaneus.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic implant comprises the magnet and the magnetic elements are attracted to the magnetic implant.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic elements each comprise a magnet and the magnetic implant is attracted to the magnetic elements.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the magnetic implant and the magnetic elements comprise magnets.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein two of the magnets attract each other.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein two of the magnets repel each other.
7. The method of claim 1 , comprising replacing the surfaces of at least three adjacent bones generally facing the void with magnetic elements.
8. The method of claim 1 , comprising replacing the surfaces of at least four adjacent bones generally facing the void with magnetic elements.
9. The method of claim 1 , comprising replacing the surfaces of at least five adjacent bones generally facing the void with magnetic elements.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising preparing the surfaces of at least two of the adjacent bones generally facing the void by removing diseased area from the surfaces.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of replacing the surfaces of at least two of the adjacent bones generally facing the void comprises forming a bore in at least one of the surfaces and inserting the magnetic element into the bore.