Prosthetic devices having coatings of selected porous bioengineering thermoplastics

An efficacious prosthetic device comprised of a load bearing functional component and, over at least a portion thereof, a porous coating of a bioengineering thermoplastic material which is compatible with, and conducive for, the ingrowth of bone spicules, said material being selected from the group consisting of polysulfones, polyphenylenesulfides, polyacetals, thermoplastic polyesters, polycarbonates, aromatic polyamides, aromatic polyamideimides, thermoplastic polyimides, polyaryletherketones, polyarylethernitriles and aromatic polyhydroxyethers, and having the following properties:

• (a) an average pore diameter of from about 90 to about 600 microns;
• (b) pore interconnections having average, diameters of greater than about 50 micron;
• (c) a modulus of elasticity from about 250,000 to about 500,000 pounds per square inch for non-reinforced, solid non-porous thermoplastic material, and from about 500,000 to about 3,000,000 pounds per square inch for reinforced, solid non-porous thermoplastic material;
• (d) a porosity of greater than about 40 percent;
• and
• (e) a total creep strain of said non-reinforced, solid, non-porous thermoplastic material of less than one percent at a constant stress of 1,000 pounds per square inch at ambient temperature;
• all of the properties being sufficient to enable stresses applied on the musculoskeletal system to be transferred to bone spicules within the pores of said material and maintain sufficient load and pore stability to promote irreversible ossification.