Retaining ring

Abstract: An absorbable fastener is provided to hold together portions of mammalian tissue and includes a T-shaped fastening member and a receiver adapted to receive the leg of the fastening member. The fastening member leg has a plurality of resilient frustoconical members. One of the frustoconical members cooperates with a retaining ring in a bore of the receiver to effect engagement of the fastening member and receiver. The adjacent frustoconical members sealingly engage the receiver and isolate the retaining ring from the body fluids and tissue.

Abstract: A polyaxial bone screw having a bone implantable shank, a head and a retaining ring. The retaining ring includes an outer partial hemispherical surface and an inner bore with radially extending channels and partial capture recesses. The shank includes a bone implantable body with an external helical wound thread and an upwardly extending capture structure. The capture structure includes at least one spline which extends radially outward and has a wedged surface that faces radially outward therefrom. The capture structure operably passes through a central bore of the retaining ring while the spline passes through a suitably shaped channel so that the spline becomes positioned above the head at which time the shank is rotated appropriately and the shank is drawn back downwardly so that the spline engages and seats in the capture recess. The head includes an internal cavity having a spherical shaped surface that mates with the ring surface and has a lower restrictive neck that prevents passage of the ring once the ring is seated in the cavity.

Abstract: A bone screw assembly including a coupling member with a lower surface and a channel formed by two arms extending from a base portion. The coupling member has a hole extending from the base portion of the channel to its lower surface. The assembly further includes a spacer having a top surface adjacent the base portion of the channel and a bottom surface generally opposite the top surface within the hole of the coupling member, and includes a hollow retaining ring within the hole of the coupling member, the retaining ring comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface spaced from the bottom surface of the spacer, and a slot extending from the inner surface of the ring to the outer surface of the ring. The assembly includes a bone screw having a head portion with an outer surface adjacent to the inner surface of the retaining ring.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve assembly which includes an artificial annulus, a prosthetic valve and a retaining ring for releasably retaining the prosthetic valve on the artificial annulus. By removing the retaining ring, the valve can be replaced with another valve. The artificial annulus includes a suture ring and a mounting ring mounted on the suture ring for receiving the prosthetic valve and the retaining ring.