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US 7,160,492 B2Granted
Orthopaedic device for implantation in the body of an animal and method for making the same
AssigneeDePuy Products, Inc.
InventorRichard King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of preparing a orthopaedic implant which includes removing low-molecular-weight compounds from a mass of polymeric material from which the implant is made.
Claims19
A method of preparing a crosslinked UHMWPE bearing for use in an orthopaedic implant, the method comprising:
- subjecting a crosslinked UHMWPE preform, powder or porous structure to vacuum evaporation or solvent extraction to reduce low-molecular-weight compounds present in the crosslinked UHMWPE preform, powder or porous structure to less than 0.2%, by weight;
- and
- forming the crosslinked UHMWPE preform, powder or porous structure into a bearing configured for use in an orthopaedic implant.
A method of preparing a crosslinked UHMWPE bearing for use in an orthopaedic implant, the method comprising:
- subjecting a crosslinked UHMWPE preform, powder or porous structure to vacuum evaporation or solvent extraction to remove an amount of polyethylene molecules having a molecular weight of 5000 or less from the crosslinked UHMWPE preform, powder or porous structure so that the treated crosslinked UHMWPE preform, powder or porous structure contains 0.1% or less of polyethylene molecules having a molecular weight of 5000 or less;
- and
- forming the crosslinked UHMWPE preform, powder or porous structure into a bearing configured for use in an orthopaedic implant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.