Method of manufacturing synthetic bone coated surgical implants
AssigneeVent-Plant Corporation
InventorsLeonard I. Linkow, Anthony J. Armini, Anthony W. Rinaldi
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Abstract
A process is provided for depositing hydroxylapatite on the surface of materials suitable for implantations into animals and humans. In this process, a coating of hydroxylapatite is applied to dental or surgical implants using a sputter technique that employs a high energy Xenon ion beam. The process is carried out in a vacuum into which a controlled amount of hydroxide ions are introduced.
Claims15
A process for manufacturing hydroxylapatite-coated implants comprising the steps of:
- obtaining an implant material suitable for implantation into an animal,
- ion beam sputter coating said implant material with hydroxylapatite by directing a Xenon ion beam operated at at least 10 kev energy against a hydroxylapatite target positioned such that hydroxylapatite ions kicked off of the target strike the implant material,
- conducting said ion beam sputter coating under a vacuum of at least 10.sup.-4 torr in the presence of a preselected amount of a molecular oxygen-containing gas,
- recovering said hydroxylapatite-coated implant
- annealing said hydroxylapatite-coated implant in a vacuum at a pressure of at least 10.sup.-4 torr from about 1 hour to about 24 hours at a temperature ranging between about 300.degree. C. and about 900.degree. C., and
- recovering a completely recrystallized hydroxylapatite-coated implant.
A hydroxylapatite-coated implant, suitable for implantation into an animal in need of such treatment, manufactured by a process comprising the steps of:
- obtaining an implant suitable for implantation into an animal,
- ion beam sputter coated said implant with hydroxylapatite by directing a Xenon ion beam operated at at least 10 kev energy against a hydroxylapatite target positioned such that hydroxylapatite ions kicked off of the target strike the implant,
- conducting said ion beam sputter coating under a vacuum of at least 10.sup.-5 torr in the presence of a preselected amount of a molecular oxygen containing gas,
- recovering said hydroxylapatite coated implant,
- annealing said hydroxylapatite-coated implant in a vacuum at a pressure of at least 10.sup.-4 torr for from about 1 hour to about 24 hours at a temperature ranging between about 300.degree. C. and about 900.degree. C., and
- recovering said hydroxylapatite-coated implant, the hydroxylapatite coating being fully dense, crystalline and substantially the same in terms of percentages of phosphorous and calcium as natural hydroxylapatite.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.