Porous, load-bearing, ceramic or metal implant

Abstract

A method and apparatus for adjusting the modulus of elasticity, flexural strength, or porosity of metal and ceramic implants is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a green tape comprising metal or ceramic particles, or a combination thereof, for incorporation into a solid implant structure. Apertures are cut in selected regions of the green tape in order to create a desired pore structure in the solid implant structure. This pore structure may be designed to give the solid structure a desired modulus of elasticity, flexural strength, or porosity as well as to promote bone ingrowth. The green tape may then be layered in an orientation that will provide the desired pore structure and the metal or ceramic particles and layers may be fused together to create the solid implant structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.