Joint treatment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed: 1.
The treatment of a bone joint having defective cartilage between the bone ends, which treatment is characterized by the insertion between the bone ends of a cushioning gel of hardened gelatin compatible with the joint.
2.
The treatment of a bone joint having defective cartilage between the bone ends, which treatment is characterized by the injecting into the joint without surgery, a liquid that is subsequently converted into a cushioning pad between the bone ends.
3.
The treatment of claim 2 in which the liquid injected is radiopaque and the injecting is fluoroscopically monitored.
4.
The treatment of claim 2 in which the bone joint is an encapsulated joint and the injecting is effected while the bone ends are separated from each other, and the bone ends are kept separated until the liquid is converted to the pad.
5.
The treatment of claim 1 in which the cushioning pad is a hardened polymeric gel.
6.
The treatment of claim 5 in which the hardened polymeric gel is a silicone.
7.
The treatment of claim 5 in which the hardened polymeric gel is a gel of hardened gelatin.




Description:
The present invention relates to the treatment of body joints, more particularly joints in which deterioration of cartilage has resulted in bone rubbing against bone.
Human beings and animals frequently suffer from joint diseases that attack the normal cartilage pads which separate the bone ends in such a joint.
As a result of such arthritic processes the cartilage pads can deteriorate to the point that they no longer prevent the bone ends from contacting each other.
When this happens, movement of the joint becomes painful and function is impaired.
Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a treatment that alleviates this problem by providing novel pads that can assist or take the place of the cartilage pads.
The foregoing as well as still further objects of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of several of its exemplifications