Implantable material and appliances and method of stabilizing body implants

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising

• a fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers,
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible,
• said fibers being carbonaceous fibers, and
• said bonding means including polytetrafluoroethylene resin and fibers.

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising,

• a fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible,
• said fibers being selected from a group consisting of carbonaceous fibers, stainless steel fibers, silicone carbide whiskers, aluminum oxide whiskers and zirconia fibers,
• said bonding means including polytetrafluoroethylene fibers.

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising,

• a fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble sodium chloride included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said sodium chloride define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure.

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising,

• a fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible,
• a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluable material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure,
• one surface of said structure is free of said soluble material and having a fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer bonding material bonded thereto.

A composition of material suitable for an in vivo implantation comprising

• a fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers,
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible,
• a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluble material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure,
• said structure includes carbon fibers in the range from 4 to 20 percent by volume,
• polytetrafluoroethylene fibers in the range from 4 to 10 percent by volume,
• polytetrafluoroethylene fibers in the range from 2 to 10 percent by volume, and
• said soluble material in the range from 60 to 90 percent by volume.

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising,

• a fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible,
• a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluable material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure,
• and wherein said structure includes ten percent by volume carbon fibers, six percent by volume resin fibers, four percent by volume resin particles, and eighty percent by volume soluble material.

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation and adapted to promote ingrowth of tissue, comprising

• a plurality of resin fibers,
• a plurality of carbon fibers, and
• said resin fibers bonding said carbon fibers into a structure having substantial porosity,
• said resin fibers and carbon fibers being biocompatible,
• the bond of said resin being at relatively small points whereby substantial portions of the surface of said carbon fibers are exposed.

The method of promoting ingrowth of normal body tissue in an implantable material which comprises implanting a composition of material comprising

• a resilient, fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible,
• said structure having sufficient resiliency and distensibility when implanted to develop the type of ingrowth tissue needed at the implant location responsive to the mechanical forces at the implant site.

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising

• a resilient, fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers,
• said structure having sufficient resiliency and distensibility when implanted to develop the type of ingrowth tissue needed at the implant location responsive to the mechanical forces at the implant site,
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, and
• said fibers are carbonaceous material and said bonding means includes one of a perfluorinated polymer, polyethylene and a polyester.

A composition of material comprising

• a resilient, fibrous, porous structure,
• at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter,
• said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and
• said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible,
• said structure having a porosity in the range from 60 to 90 percent of the volume of said structure.