Composite perforated implant structures

A composite surgical implant structure for use in orthognathic and reconstructive surgery, for the correction of cranial defects, and for the guided regeneration and enlargement of bone tissue of human patients, said implant structure comprising:

• a) at least one layer of biocompatible and pliable metallic sheet material selected from the group consisting titanium, titanium alloys, cobalt-chrome alloys and stainless steel, said metallic sheet material including a multiplicity uniformly arranged mesh-type perforations of a size such that mechanical fasteners may be inserted therethrough and into bone tissue of a human patient;
• and
• b) at least one layer of biologically and chemically inert microporous membrane sheet material of like size configuration comprised of randomly dispersed polytetrafluoroethylene fibers, said at least one layer of said microporous membrane sheet material being in intimate contact with, supported by, and covering said at least one layer of metallic sheet material, and said at least one layer of membrane sheet material having a pore size in the range of about 0.2 to about 3.0 microns whereby desired biological nutrients for bone regeneration are permitted passage through the pores of said membrane material and the perforations of said metallic sheet material of said implant structure underlying bone and unwanted biological cells and bacteria are precluded from passage through said implant structure to underlying bone.

A composite surgical implant structure for use in orthognathic and reconstructive surgery, for the correction of cranial defects, and for reconstructive preprosthetic oral and maxillofacial surgery of bone tissue of human patients comprising:

• a) at least one layer of perforated and pliable, biocompatible metallic sheet material wherein the perforations in said sheet material are of a size such that mechanical fasteners may be inserted therethrough and into bone tissue of a human patient;
• and
• b) at least one layer of microporous membrane sheet material of like size and configuration in intimate contact with, supported by, and covering said at least one layer of said perforated metallic sheet material, said microporous membrane sheet material being selected from the group of biologically and chemically inert sheet materials consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene fibers, mixtures of cellulose acetate and cellulose nitrate fibers and polyvinylidine difluoride fibers, and said at least one layer of microporous membrane sheet material having a pore size in the range of from about 0.2 to about 3.0 microns whereby desired biological nutrients are permitted passage through the pores of said membrane material and the perforations of said metallic sheet material of said implant structure to underlying bone tissues of said patient and unwanted biological cells and bacteria are precluded from passage through said implant structure to said tissues.