Porous Implant Materials and Related Methods
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorsSean H. Kerr, David Armbruster, Ami Saheba, James Dwyer, Ali Cern Recber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are porous, biocompatible implant bodies and materials. These materials suitably comprise a population of randomly arranged thermoplastic constituents, with at least some of the constituents being bonded to one another The implant bodies are capable of being manipulated at room temperature from a first shape to a second shape, and of maintaining the second shape at about internal body temperature. Also provided are related methods of fabricating such implants and installing the implants into a subject.
Claims30
A biocompatible implant, comprising:
- a porous body comprising a plurality of randomly arranged thermoplastic constituents,
- at least some of the thermoplastic constituents having an aspect ratio in the range of from greater than 1 to about 1000.
- at least some of the thermoplastic polymer constituents being bonded to other thermoplastic constituents at multiple sites,
- the porous body being capable of manipulation at room temperature from a first shape to a second shape and maintaining the second shape at about internal body temperature.
A method of forming a biocompatible implant, comprising:
- heating thermoplastic constituents disposed in a mold so as to bond at least some of the thermoplastic constituents to one another;
- and
- applying pressure to the thermoplastic constituents so as to form a biocompatible implant comprising a porous body of bonded thermoplastic constituents.
A method of forming a biocompatible implant, comprising:
- contacting a plurality of polymer constituents with at least one solvent capable of dissolving or swelling the polymer constituents so as to soften the constituents;
- removing the at least one solvent;
- applying pressure to the plurality of polymer constituents in order to form a biocompatible implant having a porous body of bonded polymer constituents.
A biocompatible implant, comprising:
- a porous body comprising a plurality of randomly arranged thermoplastic constituents,
- at least some of the thermoplastic constituents being elongate in shape, being irregular in shape, or both,
- at least some of the thermoplastic polymer constituents being bonded to other thermoplastic constituents at multiple sites,
- the porous body being capable of manipulation at room temperature from a first shape to a second shape and maintaining the second shape at about internal body temperature.
A biocompatible implant, comprising:
- a porous body comprising a plurality of randomly arranged thermoplastic filaments,
- at least some of the thermoplastic filaments being bonded to other thermoplastic filaments at multiple sites,
- the porous body being capable of manipulation at room temperature from a first shape to a second shape and maintaining the second shape at about internal body temperature.
A biocompatible implant, comprising:
- a porous body formed from a plurality of randomly arranged thermoplastic constituents bonded to one another under heating;
- at least some of the thermoplastic constituents having an aspect ratio in the range of from greater than 1 to about 1000,
- the porous body being capable of manipulation at room temperature from a first shape to a second shape and maintaining the second shape at about internal body temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.