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AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsMichael Slivka, Gabriele Niederauer, Kristine Kieswetter, Neil Leatherbury
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A fiber-reinforced, polymeric implant material useful for tissue engineering, and method of making same are provided. The fibers are preferably aligned predominantly parallel to each other, but may also be aligned in a single plane. The implant material comprises a polymeric matrix, preferably a biodegradable matrix, having fibers substantially uniformly distributed therein. Inorganic particles may also be included in the implant material. In preferred embodiments, porous tissue scaffolds are provided which facilitate regeneration of load-bearing tissues such as articular cartilage and bone. Non-porous fiber-reinforced implant materials are also provided herein useful as permanent implants for load-bearing sites.
A fiber-reinforced biodegradable implant material comprising a polymeric matrix having biodegradable inorganic particles substantially uniformly distributed therein and having fibers of a length no greater than about 1 cm substantially uniformly distributed therein in a predominantly parallel orientation.
A fiber reinforced biodegradable porous implant material comprising a polymeric matrix having fibers of a length no greater than about 1 cm substantially uniformly distributed therein in a predominantly parallel orientation and autologous or allogenic tissue within the pores of the implant.
A method of making an inorganic particle and fiber-reinforced, porous, tissue scaffold implant material comprising fibers aligned predominantly in one direction, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.