Porous composite biomaterials and related methods
AssigneeHappe Spine LLC
InventorsRyan K. Roeder, Gabriel L. Converse, Stephen M. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Synthetic composite materials for use, for example, as orthopedic implants are described herein. In one example, a composite material for use as a scaffold includes a thermoplastic polymer forming a porous matrix that has continuous porosity and a plurality of pores. The porosity and the size of the pores are selectively formed during synthesis of the composite material. The example composite material also includes a plurality of a anisometric calcium phosphate particles integrally formed, embedded in, or exposed on a surface of the porous matrix. The calcium phosphate particles provide one or more of reinforcement, bioactivity, or bioresorption.
Claims20
A porous reinforced composite scaffold material, comprising:
- a thermoplastic polymer material having essentially uniform porosity and comprising a plurality of anisometric calcium phosphate particles distributed essentially uniformly throughout,
- wherein the composite comprises a plurality pores that are defined by voids interconnected by struts, the size of the pores being either homogenous or heterogeneous and within the range from about 10 to 500 μm, and
- wherein the calcium phosphate particles comprise single crystals, dense polycrystals or combinations thereof, and wherein the calcium phosphate particles are embedded within the thermoplastic polymer material and exposed on the struts within the pore voids.
A porous reinforced composite scaffold material as described in claim 1, wherein the material is formed according to the method set forth in claim 14.
A method of forming a reinforced composite scaffold material, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a thermoplastic polymer and anisometric calcium phosphate particles;
- uniformly mixing the polymer and the calcium phosphate particles;
- providing a selection of porogen materials having homogenous or heterogenous particle size within the range from about 10 to 500 μm
- selecting a porogen material to achieve desired scaffold porosity, and uniformly mixing the selected porogen with the polymer and calcium phosphate mixture;
- processing the mixture to form a solid composite material;
- leaching the porogen material from the solid composite form;
- whereby, a composite material of essentially uniform continuous porosity is formed, the composite material comprising pores sized from about 10 to 500 μm.
An implantable orthopedic device, comprising:
- an interbody spinal fusion cage, bone ingrowth scaffolding for implant fixation, fracture fixation, synthetic bone graft substitute, or a tissue engineering scaffold, that is completely or at least partially formed with a porous reinforced composite scaffold that comprises a thermoplastic polymer material having essentially uniform porosity and comprising a plurality of reinforcing anisometric calcium phosphate particles distributed essentially uniformly throughout,
- wherein the composite comprises a plurality pores that are defined by voids interconnected by struts, the size of the pores being either homogenous or heterogeneous and within the range from about 10 to 500 μm, and
- wherein the calcium phosphate particles comprise single crystals, dense polycrystals or combinations thereof, and wherein the calcium phosphate particles are embedded within the thermoplastic polymer material and exposed on the struts within the pore voids.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.