System and method of manufacturing a medical implant
AssigneeCuriteva, Inc.
InventorsTodd Reith, Eric Linder, Ryan Heskett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for forming a medical implant using a printing device. The printing device includes a print head having a heated nozzle, a heated build plate for receiving the printed material thereon, and a reflective plate having an active heater. A method for forming a medical device includes extruding a printing material by contiguous deposition to form a porous object having a lattice-like structure. The medical device, such as a spinal implant, may have interconnected pores and different regions, each having a different porosity for encouraging bone growth therein. The printed medical implant may be designed to be patient-specific, customized, and printed on-demand.
Claims20
A selectively porous customizable medical implant made by a process of fused filament fabrication using a 3-D printer, the implant comprising:
- a continuous strand comprising:
- at least a first region having a lattice structure comprising rows deposited by a continuous flow defining interconnected asymmetrical openings of varying shape and size creating a first porosity;
- and
- at least a second region having a lattice structure comprising rows deposited by a continuous flow defining interconnected asymmetrical openings of varying shape and size creating a second porosity, wherein the first porosity has openings of a different size than the second porosity;
- and
- a plurality of layers, wherein each layer of the plurality of layers includes at least one of the first region or the second region, such that the continuous strand progresses between each layer, and a successive layer connects to a prior layer between planes in a Z-axis,
- wherein every layer is deposited through a contiguous deposition of a print material, and
- wherein each layer is deposited completely prior to a next layer being deposited.
A spinal implant formed by at least partially by a polymer monofilament 3-D printing process, comprising:
- a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral outer surface;
- a porous section comprising a lattice structure of rows deposited by a continuous flow of a strand of the polymer monofilament defining a plurality of interconnected asymmetrical openings of varying shape and size,
- wherein the plurality of interconnected asymmetrical openings comprises a first plurality of openings on the top surface and a second plurality of openings on the bottom surface,
- wherein dimensions of the spinal implant are selectable for customizing the implant to a particular patient,
- wherein the porous section has a plurality of layers formed of a first polymer material, and
- wherein the plurality of layers is formed by a contiguous deposition of the first polymer material during the 3-D printing process;
- and
- a non-porous section comprising a second material distinct from the first polymer material, wherein the non-porous section is formed by a different process than the porous section, and
- wherein the porous and non-porous sections are connected to form the spinal implant.
A polyaryl-ether-ketone (PAEK) polymer surgical implant formed by additive manufacturing comprising:
- a plurality of layers forming at least one region of interconnected asymmetrical openings bounded by a lattice structure of rows deposited by a continuous flow of a continuous strand of PAEK material configured to facilitate bone growth therein,
- wherein every layer of the plurality of layers is formed through contiguous deposition of the PAEK material such that the continuous strand progresses between each layer, and a successive layer connects to a prior layer between planes in a Z-axis, and
- wherein a layer of the plurality of layers is completely deposited prior to the depositing of the PAEK material to form a next layer in the plurality of layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.