# US 2019/0167433 A1 · Orthopedic implant for sustained drug release > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167433 A1 - Document ID: US20190167433A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/196,678 - Filed: 2018-11-20 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Applicants: Duke University - Inventors: Brian Allen; Kenneth A. Gall; Thorsten M. Seyler; Catherine Oliver - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167433A1 ## CPC - A61F 2/30721: {Accessories} - A61F 2/28: Bones - A61F 2/3859: {Femoral components} - A61F 2/389: {Tibial components (A61F2/3868 takes precedence)} - A61F 2002/2835: {Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material} - A61F 2002/3006: {Properties of materials and coating materials} - A61F 2002/30062: {(bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive} - A61F 2002/30235: {tubular, e.g. sleeves} - A61F 2002/30331: {made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit} - A61F 2002/3068: {the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir} - A61F 2002/30784: {Plurality of holes} - A61F 2002/30878: {with non-sharp protrusions, for instance contacting the bone for anchoring, e.g. keels, pegs, pins, posts, shanks, stems, struts} - A61F 2250/0068: the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract An orthopedic implant device includes an implant body with a reservoir configured store a therapeutic agent. A wall of the implant body has opposite side surfaces, including a side surface facing into the reservoir. Elution channels reach from the reservoir through the body wall. The elution channels include an elongated channel traversing a thickness of the body wall between the opposite side surfaces. The elongated channel may have a length greater than twice the thickness. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An orthopedic implant device comprising: an implant body including: a reservoir configured to store a therapeutic agent; and a body wall having opposite side surfaces including a side surface facing into the reservoir, and further having an elution channel reaching from the reservoir through the body wall; wherein the elution channel reaches fully through a thickness of the body wall between the opposite side surfaces, and the elution channel has a length that is greater than twice the thickness. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel has a length portion reaching within the porous body wall in a configuration parallel to the opposite side surfaces. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 2, wherein the configuration is linear. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 2, wherein the configuration is arcuate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An orthopedic implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant body further has a reinforcement structure projecting from the body wall into the reservoir, and the channel reaches from the reservoir to the body wall through and within the reinforcement structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An orthopedic implant as defined in claim 5, wherein the reinforcement structure comprises a buttress projecting from the body wall into the reservoir. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel is one of multiple channels, each of which traverses a respective thickness of the body between the opposite side surfaces with a length greater than twice the respective thickness. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 7, wherein the multiple channels are of equal length. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 7, wherein the multiple channels include channels of unequal length. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 7, wherein the multiple channels have a common inlet portion at the reservoir, and reach from the common inlet portion to different respective outlet portions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a solid therapeutic agent delivery medium that is stored in the reservoir and is biodegradable under the influence of synovial fluid, and a therapeutic agent infused within the solid therapeutic agent delivery medium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant body further includes a bone-replacement surface with a contour configured to replicate a healthy bone surface contour. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 12, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy tibial bone surface contour. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 12, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy femoral bone surface contour. ### Claim 15 An orthopedic implant device comprising: an implant body including: a reservoir configured to store a therapeutic agent; and a body wall having opposite side surfaces including a side surface facing into the reservoir, and further having elution channels reaching through the body wall between the opposite side surfaces; wherein the elution channels include multiple channels having a common inlet portion at the side surface facing into the reservoir, and the multiple channels reach from the common inlet portion to different respective outlet portions at an opposite side surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 15, wherein the multiple channels include a channel having a linear configuration between the inlet portion and the respective outlet portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 15, wherein the multiple channels include a channel having an arcuate configuration between the inlet portion and the respective outlet portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 15, wherein the multiple channels are of equal length. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 15, wherein the multiple channels include channels of unequal length. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 15, wherein the common inlet portion of the multiple channels has a first fluid flow area, and the outlet portions include an outlet portion having a fluid flow area less that the fluid flow area of the common inlet portion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 15, wherein the outlet portions include multiple outlet portions having fluid flow areas less that the fluid flow area of the common inlet portion. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 17, further comprising a solid therapeutic agent delivery medium that is stored in the reservoir and is biodegradable under the influence of synovial fluid, and a therapeutic agent infused within the solid therapeutic agent delivery medium. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 17, wherein the implant body further includes a bone-replacement surface with a contour configured to replicate a healthy bone surface contour. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 23, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy tibial bone surface contour. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 23, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy femoral bone surface contour. ### Claim 26 An orthopedic implant device comprising: an implant body including: a reservoir configured to store a therapeutic agent; a body wall facing into the reservoir and having an elution channel reaching from the reservoir through the body wall; and a reinforcement structure projecting from the body wall into the reservoir. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 26, wherein the reinforcement structure comprises a buttress projecting from the body wall into the reservoir. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 27, wherein the buttress has an edge adjoining the body wall, and has a free edge within the reservoir, and the elution channel reaches through and within the buttress from the body wall to the free edge within the reservoir. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 26, wherein the body wall is part of an inwardly facing body wall structure having portions opposed across the reservoir, and the reinforcement structure reaches across the reservoir fully between opposed portions of the inwardly facing body wall structure. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 29, wherein the reinforcement structure is configured as a gyroid. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 29, wherein the reinforcement structure is a truss. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) An orthopedic device as defined in claim 31, wherein the truss includes orthogonal stiffener elements. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) An orthopedic device as defined in claim 31, wherein the truss is a diamond cubic truss. ### Claim 34 (depends on 26) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 26, further comprising a solid therapeutic agent delivery medium that is stored in the reservoir and is biodegradable under the influence of synovial fluid, and a therapeutic agent infused within the solid therapeutic agent delivery medium. ### Claim 35 (depends on 26) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 26, wherein the implant body further includes a bone-replacement surface with a contour configured to replicate a healthy bone surface contour. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 35, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy tibial bone surface contour. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 35, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy femoral bone surface contour. ### Claim 38 An orthopedic implant device comprising: an implant body including: a reservoir configured to store a therapeutic agent; a body wall having an inner side surface facing into the reservoir and an opposite side surface with an elution pore; and an elution pipe that projects from the inner side surface of the body wall into the reservoir, wherein the elution pipe and the body wall together define an elution channel communicating the reservoir with the elution pore. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 38, wherein the body wall has a plurality of elution pores, and the elution pipe is one of a plurality of elution pipes, each of which projects from the inner side surface of the body wall into the reservoir and communicates the reservoir with a respective elution pore. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 39, wherein the elution pipes include elution pipes having a common inlet within the reservoir. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 38, further comprising a reinforcement structure including buttresses interconnecting the body wall with the elution pipes. ### Claim 42 (depends on 38) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 38, wherein the implant body further includes a bone-replacement surface with a contour configured to replicate a healthy bone surface contour. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 42, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy tibial bone surface contour. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 42, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy femoral bone surface contour. ### Claim 45 An orthopedic implant device comprising: an implant body including: a reservoir configured to store a therapeutic agent; and a body wall facing into the reservoir and having an elution channel reaching from the reservoir through the body wall; wherein the body wall includes an adapter defining a passage through the body wall for injection of a therapeutic agent into the reservoir, and the adapter is configured for engagement with a luer lock fitting. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 45, wherein the adapter includes a male flange configured to receive and guide an internal screw thread on a female luer lock fitting. ### Claim 47 (depends on 45) An orthopedic device as defined in claim 45, further comprising a closure device configured to close the passage through the adapter. ### Claim 48 (depends on 45) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 45, further comprising a solid therapeutic agent delivery medium that is stored in the reservoir and is biodegradable under the influence of synovial fluid, and a therapeutic agent infused within the solid therapeutic agent delivery medium. ### Claim 49 (depends on 45) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 45, wherein the implant body further includes a bone-replacement surface with a contour configured to replicate a healthy bone surface contour. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 49, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy tibial bone surface contour. ### Claim 51 (depends on 49) An orthopedic implant device as defined in claim 49, wherein the contour of the bone-replacement surface is configured to replicate a healthy femoral bone surface contour.