Method of Manufacturing an Artificial Elastic Implant for Restorative an Reconstructive Surgery

Method for manufacturing an artificial elastic implant for restorative and reconstructive surgery, comprising the steps

• a) providing a casting mold comprising a base (2), a limiting ring (3) and a cover (1), wherein at least the cover is optically and UV transparent and comprises a first or second photo mask (5),
• b) casting in a first step a first layer of a first or second liquid photo-curable material onto the base (2) of the mold while forming a meniscus (4),
• c) closing the mold by placing the limiting ring (3) and the cover (1) with the photo mask (5) on the margin of the base (2), whilst the photo mask is a first photo mask corresponding to the outer geometrical dimensions of the product to be formed or is a second photo mask corresponding to the pattern to be formed on the surface of the product,
• d) irradiating the mold with ultraviolet light for a time sufficient to cure the photo-curable material all the way through the depth of the layer,
• e) removing the cover and limiting ring from the base,
• f) casting in a second step a second layer of a first or second photo-curable material onto the base and the cured first layer while forming a meniscus,
• g) closing the mold by placing the limiting ring and the cover on the margin of the base, whilst the photo mask is a first photo mask corresponding to the outer geometrical dimensions of the product to be formed or is a second photo mask corresponding to the pattern to be formed on the surface of the product,
• h) irradiating the mold again with ultraviolet light,
• i) opening the mold and removing the unhardened photo-curable material from the product by dissolving in a suitable solvent,
• j) additionally irradiating the product with UV light,
• k) soaking the product in water at 80 to 100° C. for at least 30 min,
• l) separating the product from the mold base and placing it in a closed container with isopropyl alcohol at a temperature of −20 to +12° C. and it keeping there for 3 to 24 hours,
• m) vacuum drying the first product at temperatures above 70° C. for 1 to 6 hours;
• wherein
• n) the first photo-curable material is a composition comprising
• 25-40 wt.-% benzyl methacrylate
• 50-70 wt.-% oligourethane methacrylate
• 1-5 wt.-% methacrylic acid
• 1-5 wt.-% octyl methacrylate and
• o) the second photo-curable material is a composition comprising
• 20-30 wt.-% phenoxyethyl methacrylate
• 20-30 wt.-% oligourethane methacrylate 1000F
• 35-45-wt.-% oligourethane methacrylate 5000F
• 1-5 wt.-% methacrylic acid
• 1-5 wt.-% ethylene glycol monomethacrylate