Bone implants for the treatment of infection
AssigneeSilver Bullet Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorsHoudin Dehnad, Bohdan Wolodymyr Chopko, Paul E. Chirico
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Abstract
Described herein are devices, systems and methods for treating disease and/or infection by the release of silver from an implant over an extended period of time. In particular, the devices described herein may be used to treat infections such as osteomyelitis by the controlled release of silver ions from multiple sites of an extended-use implant. This implant typically includes a plurality of arms that both anchor and help distribute the released ions within the tissue. Power may be applied to release the silver ions into the tissue.
Claims22
An implantable screw for insertion into bone to treat or prevent infection, the implant having a deployed configuration in which at least one antimicrobial ion releasing arm extends from the implantable screw and an undeployed configuration in which the arm is not extended from the implantable screw, the implantable screw further comprising:
- an elongate body having a threaded screw region configured for securing into bone;
- a channel extending proximally to distally through the implantable screw, wherein the arm is configured to extend through the channel and out of the implantable screw in the deployed configuration, further wherein the arm comprises an antimicrobial ion reservoir;
- and
- a galvanic reactor metal on the implantable screw configured to be in electrical communication with the reservoir when the implantable screw is in the deployed configuration to galvanically drive release of antimicrobial ions.
An implantable screw for insertion into bone to treat or prevent infection, the implant having a deployed configuration in which at least one silver-releasing arm extends from the implantable screw and an undeployed configuration in which the arm is not extended from the implantable screw, the implantable screw further comprising:
- an elongate body having a threaded screw region configured for securing into bone;
- a channel extending through the implantable screw, wherein the arm is configured to extend through the channel and out of the implantable screw in the deployed configuration, further wherein the arm comprises a silver reservoir;
- and
- a galvanic reactor metal configured to be in electrically communication with the silver reservoir when the implantable screw is in the deployed configuration to galvanically drive release of silver, but not in electrical communication with the silver reservoir when the implantable screw is in the undeployed configuration.
An implantable rod that can treat or prevent infection for insertion into bone as part of a fusion device, the implantable rod having a deployed configuration in which at least one antimicrobial ion releasing arm extends from the implantable rod and an undeployed configuration in which the arm is not extended from the implantable rod, the implantable rod further comprising:
- an elongate body configured for securing into bone;
- a channel extending proximally to distally through the implantable rod, wherein the arm is configured to extend through the channel and out of the implantable rod in the deployed configuration, further wherein the rod comprises an antimicrobial ion reservoir;
- and
- a galvanic reactor metal on the implantable rod configured to be in electrical communication with the antimicrobial ion reservoir when the implantable rod is in the deployed configuration to galvanically drive release of antimicrobial ions.
A method of preventing infection in a bone using an implantable screw having a deployed configuration in which a silver-eluting arm extends from the implantable screw and an undeployed configuration in which the arm is not extended from the implantable screw, the method comprising:
- inserting the implantable screw into a bone in an undeployed configuration;
- deploying the arm from the implantable screw into the bone, wherein deploying the arm places a silver reservoir on the arm in electrical communication with a galvanic reactor metal;
- galvanically releasing silver from the silver reservoir on the arm over an extended period of time at a sustained level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.