# US 9,039,784 B2 · Micro-structure particles for load bearing bone growth

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- Number: US 9,039,784 B2
- Document ID: US9039784B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/510,582
- Filed: 2009-07-28
- Published: 2011-02-03
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2009-07-28
- Assignees: Southwest Research Institute
- Applicants: Daniel P. Nicolella; Nitin Nitin; Heather S. Hanson; Kwai S. Chan
- Inventors: Daniel P. Nicolella; Nitin Nitin; Heather S. Hanson; Kwai S. Chan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039784B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/28: Bones
- A61F 2/2846: {Support means for bone substitute or for bone graft implants, e.g. membranes or plates for covering bone defects (nets or sleeves applied to surface of endoprostheses A61F2/30907; bone plates A61B17/80; bone regeneration in dental surgery A61C8/0006)}
- A61F 2/30734: {Modular inserts, sleeves or augments, e.g. placed on proximal part of stem for fixation purposes or wedges for bridging a bone defect}
- A61F 2/30907: {Nets or sleeves applied to surface of prostheses or in cement}
- A61F 2002/2817: {Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]}
- A61F 2002/30062: {(bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive}
- A61F 2002/30079: {magnetic}
- A61F 2002/30235: {tubular, e.g. sleeves}
- A61F 2002/30583: {filled with hardenable fluid, e.g. curable in-situ}
- A61F 2002/30588: {filled with solid particles}
- A61F 2002/30738: {Sleeves}
- A61F 2002/30919: {Sleeves}
- A61F 2002/3092: {having an open-celled or open-pored structure}
- A61F 2210/0004: bioabsorbable
- A61F 2210/0085: hardenable in situ, e.g. epoxy resins
- A61F 2210/009: magnetic
- A61F 2230/0069: cylindrical
- A61L 27/042: {Iron or iron alloys}
- A61L 27/10: Ceramics or glasses
- A61L 27/12: Phosphorus-containing materials, e.g. apatite
- A61L 27/40: Composite materials, i.e. containing one material dispersed in a matrix of the same or different material
- A61L 27/446: {with other specific inorganic fillers other than those covered by A61L27/443 or A61L27/46}
- A61L 27/46: with phosphorus-containing inorganic fillers
- A61L 2400/06: Flowable or injectable implant compositions
- A61L 2400/12: Nanosized materials, e.g. nanofibres, nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes; Nanostructured surfaces
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods of facilitating bone growth. The method may include positioning a device around at least a portion of a bone exhibiting a defect, the device capable of retaining bone segments and micro-structured particles. The method may also include applying micro-structure particles within the device to the defect, wherein each of the micro-structure particles include at least one pore therein. In addition, the method may include aligning at least a portion of the micro-structure particles and applying a polymer to the particles and solidifying the polymer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of facilitating bone growth in a patient having a site of a bone fracture with bone segments, comprising:
positioning a flexible tubular device comprising a bioresorbable polymer material, said positioning being at the site of the bone fracture and around an external surface of the bone fracture;
affixing the flexible tubular device to the bone segments to retain the bone segments and form an affixed device at the site of the bone fracture;
filling micro-structure particles into said affixed device so as to apply said micro-structure particles to said fracture, wherein each of said micro-structure particles has a longitudinal axis and include a first pore extending through an entire thickness of said micro-structure particles along the longitudinal axis, said first pore having a diameter in the range of 50 μm to 1,000 μm;
aligning at least a portion of said micro-structure particles within said affixed device at the site of the bone fracture along their longitudinal axes into a plurality of rows such that:
each row comprises a plurality of said micro-structure particles; and
first pores of adjacent micro-structure particles in each row are aligned so as to provide an interconnected pore structure forming a channel spanning across and through the plurality of said micro-structure particles;
applying a filler polymer having a viscosity of less than or equal to 500,000 centipoise to said aligned micro-structure particles at the site of the bone fracture; and
solidifying said polymer at the site of the bone fracture.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bioresorbable polymer material is selected from one or more of the following materials: polyurethanes, polycaprolactones, poly(lactic acid), and poly(glycolic acid).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said micro-structure particles comprise a calcium phosphate based material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising coating said micro-structure particles with a growth factor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said micro-structure particles include a ferrous composite material coated on said micro-structure particles.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein said aligning said micro-structure particles and first pores of adjacent micro-structure particles in each of said rows comprises aligning with a magnetic field.