Porous biomaterials and methods for their manufacture

A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the microporous biomaterial is coralline hydroxyapatite or reticulated foam ceramic.

An improved biomaterial comprising:

• a hydroxyapatite structure having a substantially uniform three dimensional porosity connected to an exterior surface of the biomaterial, said porosity including interconnected macropores having diameters in the range from about 100 microns to about 1000 microns, and micropores having pore sizes of about 1 micron or less, the macropores and micropores of said biomaterial infiltrated with a biocompatible polymer such that the biocompatible polymer covers interior walls and passageways of the macropores of the biomaterial substantially without filling the macropores but substantially filling the micropores contained in the biomaterial.

A composition of material useful as an interconnected porosity including micropores and macropores, at least some of said macropores open to said surface and interconnected with one another;

• the macropores substantially coated and the micropores substantially filled by a polylactic acid polymer, polyglycolic acid polymer, or co-polymer thereof, the polymer polymerized in situ from a lactide or glycolide monomer or mixture thereof introduced into the porosity of the porous hydroxyapatite structure under conditions which cause polymerization in the microporosity and macroporosity of the material.

A method of making a biomaterial, comprising:

• providing a porous coralline hydroxyapatite or synthetic porous ceramic structure having an internal porosity including micropores and macropores, with at least some of the macropores interconnected through internal passageways and open to an outer surface of the structure;
• introducing into the porosity a monomer mixture or solution containing lactide, glycolide or mixtures thereof under conditions wherein the monomer mixture or solution fills the microporosity substantially without filing the macroporosity in the structure, and
• polymerizing the monomer mixture or solution in situ into a polylactic acid or polyglycolic acid polymer or copolymer under polymerizing conditions.

A method for strengthening a porous ceramic biomaterial having micro porosity and macroporosity, comprising:

• providing the porous ceramic biomaterial;
• and
• infiltrating the porosity of the porous ceramic biomaterial with a liquid biocompatible polymer under conditions wherein the polymer infiltrates the porosity of the porous ceramic biomaterial, substantially filing micropores contained therein while coating walls of the macroporosity, minimally without filing the macroporosity.