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US 9,314,340 B2Granted
Joint bioscaffolds
AssigneeUniversity of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
InventorsStephen F. Badylak, Bryan N. Brown, William L. Chung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein are compositions and medical devices, and in particular, biodegradable scaffolds capable of repairing and replacing cartilagenous meniscuses. Also provided herein are methods of using scaffolds for treating degenerative tissue disorders. In certain embodiments, such scaffolds can promote tissue regeneration of a temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) meniscus.
Claims35
A method for regenerating at least a portion of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of a subject, the method comprising:
- implanting a bioscaffold at the TMJ of a mammal, the bioscaffold comprising a biocompatible, biodegradable, elastomeric implant dimensioned to fit within the TMJ and mimic the size and function of a native TMJ meniscus, the implant comprising a top sheet formed from one or more layers of a biocompatible material, a bottom sheet formed from one or more layers of the biocompatible material, and a raised central core encapsulated between the top and bottom sheets, wherein the core consists essentially of acellular and noncrosslinked extracellular matrix, wherein the top sheet and bottom sheet have substantially the same thickness, and further wherein the top and bottom sheets extend radially from the raised central core to form a brim having surgical attachment sites in the brim, wherein the central core has a circular base with a diameter, or an elliptical base with a major diameter and a minor diameter, and a height and composition of the central core that permits the core to deform under stress, and the diameter or the major and minor diameter is sufficient for the core to carry shear forces between the mandible and the skull when the implant is affixed to an articulating surface in the TMJ;
- and
- attaching the bioscaffold at a TMJ attachment site in the mammal by securing the surgical attachment sites of the brim to the TMJ attachment site in the mammal.
A method comprising:
- removing at least a portion of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) meniscus from a mammal thereby creating a TMJ implantation site;
- implanting at the TMJ implantation site a biocompatible, biodegradable, elastomeric implant dimensioned to fit within the TMJ and mimic the size and function of a native TMJ meniscus, the implant comprising a bioscaffold comprising a central core comprising acellular and noncrosslinked extracellular matrix particles or gel, the core extending between a top and bottom sheet, wherein the top and bottom sheets extend laterally from the core in an abutting relationship to form a brim, and further wherein the core extends from the top or bottom sheet to form a nonplanar structure having a height of between 0.5 and 4 cm, wherein the core has a circular base with a diameter, or an elliptical base with a major diameter and a minor diameter, and the height and composition of the core permits the core to deform under stress, and the diameter or major and minor diameter of the core is sufficient for the core to carry shear forces between the mandible and the skull when the implant is affixed to an articulating surface in the TMJ, and wherein the top sheet and bottom sheet extend outwardly from the core to form a brim with surgical attachment sites in the brim for attaching the bioscaffold at or within the implantation site.
A method for replacement or regeneration of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) meniscus the method comprising:
- implanting on an articulating surface in a TMJ a bioscaffold comprising a biocompatible, biodegradable, elastomeric implant dimensioned to fit within the TMJ and mimic the size and function of a native TMJ meniscus, the implant comprising a top sheet and bottom sheet and a raised central elastomeric core encapsulated within the top and bottom sheets, the core comprising acellular and noncrosslinked extracellular matrix particles or gel, wherein the core is deformable under stress to cushion forces between the mandibular condyle and the skull bones with which it articulates when the implant is affixed to an articulating surface in the TMJ, and wherein the top and bottom sheets extend radially from the core in an abutting relationship to form a brim comprising one or more surgical attachment sites, wherein the core is 8-12 mm wide and the implant is 16-20 mm wide, and the core comprises a circular base with a diameter or an elliptical base with a major diameter and a minor diameter, whereby the core can carry shear forces between the mandible and skull when the implant is affixed to the articulating surface, and wherein the bioscaffold is capable of inducing reconstruction of the TMJ meniscus in vivo.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.