Surgical implant
The invention relates to a surgical implant ( 100 ) comprising an implant body ( 101 ) comprising a polyaryletherketone polymer material and a radio-opaque marker ( 107 ) seated with an interference fit in a bore formed in the body. The surgical implant may be manufactured by forming the polyaryletherketone body including the bore, for instance by drilling the body and inserting the marker into the bore.
1 . A femoral knee implant comprising:
an implant body comprising a polyaryletherketone polymer material;
a first bore formed in a tip of a pillar extending in use away from an articulating portion of the implant body towards the femur;
a second bore formed proximal to a tip of a condyle of the implant body; and
a third bore formed proximal to a tip of an anterior flange of the implant body;
wherein a radio-opaque marker formed of tantalum is seated with an interference fit in each of the first, second, and third bores.
2 . The femoral knee implant of claim 1 , wherein the polyaryletherketone is a polyetheretherketone (PEEK).
3 . The femoral knee implant of claim 1 , wherein each marker is seated at the base of each of the first, second, and third bores.
4 . The femoral knee implant of claim 1 , wherein each bore has a first diameter and the marker has second diameter which is greater than or equal to the first diameter.
5 . The femoral knee implant of claim 4 , wherein the second diameter is at least 5% bigger than the first diameter.
6 . The femoral knee implant of claim 4 , wherein the first diameter is between 0.1 mm and 2 mm; and
wherein the second diameter is between 0.1 mm and 2 mm.
7 . The femoral knee implant of claim 4 , wherein the second diameter is less than or equal to 11% bigger than the first diameter.
8 . The femoral knee implant of claim 4 , wherein the second diameter is in a range from 7.6% to 10.7% bigger than the first diameter.
9 . The femoral knee implant of claim 4 , wherein the first diameter is between 0.3 mm and 0.6 mm, and wherein the second diameter is between 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm.
10 . The femoral knee implant of claim 1 , wherein each bore has a depth between 1 mm and 2 mm.
11 . The femoral knee implant of claim 10 , wherein the bore has a depth of approximately 1.5 mm.
12 . The femoral knee implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant body has a pair of pillars extending in use from the articulating interface of the implant body towards the femur, with a bore formed in the tip of each; or
wherein the implant body has two condyles, with a bore formed proximal to the tip of each.
13 . The femoral knee implant of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first, second, and third bores, the distance from any part of the bore to an exterior surface of the implant body is at least 1 mm.
14 . The femoral knee implant of claim 13 , wherein for each of the first, second, and third bores, the distance from any part of the bore to an exterior surface of the implant body is at least 2 mm.
15 . The femoral knee implant of claim 1 , wherein each bore has a countersunk opening.