Porous structure for bone implants
AssigneeWaldemar Link GmbH & Co. KG
InventorEckhard Bauer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bone implant includes a body having a porous structure and having a size and shape configured for fitting to a bone, preferably in a bone defect. The porous structure is comprised of regularly arranged elementary cells whose interior spaces form interconnected pores, the elementary cells are formed by basic elements arranged in layers, wherein the basic elements are shaped like tetrapods, the tetrapods in each layer being arranged in parallel orientation and being positioned in-layer rotated with respect to tetrapods of an adjacent layer. The layers with rotated and non-rotated tetrapods are alternatingly arranged. Thereby a porous structure can be achieved which features improved mechanical characteristics, leading to improved biocompatibility.
Claims37
A bone implant comprising:
- a body having a porous structure and having a size and shape configured for fitting to a bone,
- wherein the porous structure is comprised of regularly arranged elementary cells having interior spaces that form interconnected pores, the elementary cells are formed by basic elements arranged in layers, and the basic elements are shaped as tetrapods, the tetrapods in each layer being arranged in parallel orientation,
- wherein the tetrapods in every other layer are rotated with respect to the tetrapods of a preceding layer,
- wherein the porous structure is different from a diamond configuration.
An endoprosthetic implant comprising:
- a body made of a solid material and a bone contacting portion made of a porous structure,
- wherein the porous structure is comprised of regularly arranged elementary cells having interior spaces that form interconnected pores, and the elementary cells are formed by basic elements arranged in layers,
- wherein the basic elements are shaped as tetrapods, the tetrapods in each layer being arranged in parallel orientation,
- wherein the tetrapods in every other layer are rotated with respect to the tetrapods of a preceding layer,
- wherein the porous structure is different from a diamond configuration.
A method for manufacturing a bone implant that comprises a body having a porous structure and having a size and shape configured for fitting to a bone, wherein the method comprises manufacturing the bone implant by using a depositing technique to:
- form alternating layers of basic elements shaped as tetrapods,
- arrange the tetrapods in each layer in parallel orientation,
- rotate the tetrapods in every other layer with respect to tetrapods of a preceding layer, and
- form regularly arranged elementary cells having interior spaces that form interconnected pores, the elementary cells being defined by the basic elements arranged in layers,
- wherein the porous structure is different from a diamond configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.