Howmedica Corp.

Volunteers for Medical Engineering

Other

Johns Hopkins University

Chondros, Inc.

Chrondros, Inc.

David S Hungerford

Alan H Shikani

Carmelita Frondoza

Abraham Domb

John H Staehlin

Robert V Kenna

Charles M Bartish

Kenneth A Krackow

Dror Paley

David Jordan Fink

Dana Mcpherson

John Garmon

Michael W Dudasik

Anthony K Hedley

Matthew P Poggie

Leonard Bloom

Afshin Sohrabi

Disclosed is a method of growing cells on biodegradable microcarrier particles and more specifically growing chondrocytes for an extended period of time until they aggregate. These aggregated cells can be injected directly or shaped for implantation into the body. In another embodiment of this invention, the cell microcarrier aggregates are grown in a mold that is shaped to conform to the geometry of the desired body part to be replaced. An apparatus for shaping the aggregated cells is disclosed. The aggregated cells can be supplied in a kit.

Method for fabricating cell-containing implants

This invention is a method for the implantation of a combination of cells or cell-microcarrier aggregates wherein one component comprises a solid implantable construct and a second component comprises an injectable formulation. For example, in one embodiment, the solid implant may be first implanted to fill the majority of the cavity receiving the implant, and then cells or cell-microcarrier aggregates in an injectable format, with or without the addition of gelling materials to promote rapid gelling in situ, may be injected into spaces surrounding the solid implant in order to secure the solid implant in the site and/or to promote rapid adherence and/or integration of the solid implant to surrounding tissues. Also contemplated in this embodiment is that the cellular composition of the injectable component may differ from that of the solid component. For example, the solid implant may result from the culturing of chondrocytes on microcarriers or scaffolds, thereby resulting in an implant having cartilage-like properties, whereas the injectable cells or aggregates may result from the culturing of stem cells, resulting thereby in cells capable of producing cells of a chondrogenic, fibroblastic, myoblastic or osteoblastic phenotype. In this example, cells in the injectable aggregates may promote the fixation to or rapid integration of the solid cartilage implant into surrounding cartilage, connective tissue, muscle or bone, respectively.

Method for composite cell-based implants

The invention is directed to the culture of cells, and particularly chondrocytes for purpose of tissue replacement. The cells are cultured on polymer constructs. Integren expression is used as a measure of chondrocyte viability. Chondrocytes are obtained from the knee, nose and ankle cartilage. Mechanical strain is used to propagate chondrocytes, chitosan and arabinogalactanchitosan are used as scaffolds. Progenitor, pluripotential, stem and mesenchymal cells are operative in this invention.

Cell-culture and polymer constructs

The present invention includes an apparatus and method for cutting a bone including a cutting assembly having a cutting blade, a cutting guide for guiding the shape of the cut in the bone, and a power source for powering the cutting blade. The cutting blade is moveable radially to vary the depth of the cut in the bone, and the cutting blade is capable of cutting around the circumference of the bone as well as in a longitudinal direction along the bone. A powered bone breaking device for completing the breaking of the weakened bone is also disclosed. A miniaturized version of the bone cutting apparatus can be used to cut out sections of a femur head from inside a femur body.

Bone cutting and breaking apparatus, and miniaturized cutting head

Cells grown on a microcarrier are separated from the microcarrier by enzymatically digesting the microcarrier. More specifically, chondrocytes may be grown on dextran microcarrier beadlets and then the beadlets digested using dextranase to separate the chondrocytes from the carrier. Cells can also be grown on chitosan microcarriers to be used for implantation. In addition, cells can be grown on polysaccharide polymers to be used as implant devices. Various polymers serve as scaffolds for cells to be used for implantation. The polymers can be used for cell culture as well as for preparing scaffolds useful for tissue replacement such as cartilage tissue.

A femoral component for a hip prosthesis has a distal portion defining a central longitudinal axis. The component has a generally conically shaped mid-shaft portion and a proximal portion with a shape based on the reamer and a shaped chisel used by the surgeon to prepare the proximal metaphysis and medullary canal. The proximal portion is shaped in a manner wherein a cross-section taken perpendicular to the central axis has a medial side formed as a first circular arc, a corner of the cross-section formed by the posterior and lateral sides as a second circular arc with a center on the central axis. The posterior side is arcuate and concave and tangent to the first and second circular arcs, with the anterior side being arcuate and convex.

Femoral component for a hip prosthesis

A prosthetic knee is implanted after cutting the femor and tibia in the proper manner with the aid of instruments which include axial alignment guides and a series of cutting jigs.

Prosthetic knee implantation

Growing community of inventors

Cockeysville, MD, United States of America

David S Hungerford