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Abstract

A meniscus prosthetic device replaces natural components of a condylar joint and includes a body and a tail. The body is of biocompatible, deformable, flexible and resilient material for bearing compressive loads and for translating the loads to tensile stress. The tail is also biocompatible material and extends as a continuation of the body from a first end to a second end of the body. The tail provides a continuous loop circuit for the propagation of tensile (hoop) stresses from the body, and provides stabilization of the knee joint and proprioceptive feedback. The prosthesis is implanted in a human knee in a position to take the place of a naturally occurring meniscus between one femoral condyle and the corresponding tibia, and the tail is placed into contact with bone associated with the knee. The body will be stabilized against unphysiological motions or deviations, yet movement of the body to achieve constant conformation to the femoral condyle and tibia under torsional, translational, and compressive loading is provided.

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First Claim