Amedica Corporation

Sintx Technologies, Inc.

Ramaswamy Lakshminarayanan

Ashok Khandkar

Darrel S Brodke

Aaron A Hofmann

Bryan J McEntire

Ryan M Bock

Giuseppe Pezzotti

Paul H Sheffield

James Ludlow

Kevin Davis

Nicholas Grimaldi

K Scott Ely

Mahendra Rao

John P Bernero

James Sanchez

Giuseppe Pezotti

Ashok C Khandkar

Methods for improving the antibacterial characteristics of biomedical implants and related implants manufactured according to such methods. In some implementations, a biomedical implant comprising a silicon nitride ceramic material may be subjected to a surface roughening treatment so as to increase a surface roughness of at least a portion of the biomedical implant to a roughness profile having an arithmetic average of at least about 500 nm Ra. In some implementations, a coating may be applied to a biomedical implant. Such a coating may comprise a silicon nitride ceramic material, and may be applied instead of, or in addition to, the surface roughening treatment process.

Antibacterial biomedical implants and associated materials, apparatus, and methods

Ceramic implants, such as spinal implants, may comprise a dense shell and a porous core. In some implementations, methods for manufacturing the implants may comprise one or more stages at which the core material abuts the shell so as to form a mechanical attachment therewith while both the core and the shell are in a green state. The core and the shell may be fired together, and the resultant implant may, in some embodiments, comprise a unitary piece of ceramic material. Some embodiments may comprise silicon nitride ceramic materials.

Thin-walled implant structures and related methods

Ceramic orthopedic implants may have one or more dense inner layers and one or more porous outer layers. Methods for manufacturing the implants may include one or more stages during which the dense inner layer(s) are partially compressed. At least one porous outer layer may include coating particles that are present at a surface of one or more inner layer(s) while pressure is applied to attach the coating particles to the inner layer(s) and to further compress one or more of the inner layer(s). Various layers may be formed until an implant, or other device, is formed having the desired density gradient and/or other properties, as disclosed herein.

Variable-density implants and related methods and systems

Embodiments of apparatus, systems, and methods relating to biomedical implants and other devices made up of unique and improved alumina-zirconia ceramic materials. In an example of a method according to an implementation of the invention, a slurry is prepared, compressed, and fired to obtain a fired ceramic piece comprising at least aluminum oxide, zirconium dioxide, yttrium oxide, cerium oxide, strontium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium dioxide, and calcium oxide. Some embodiments and implementations may comprise selected concentrations of one or more such compounds to yield certain preferred results.

Alumina-zirconia ceramic implants and related materials, apparatus, and methods

Ceramic materials comprising charge-compensating dopants and related methods. In some embodiments, the materials may comprise dopants such as YO, GdO, NbO, and/or TaO. Some embodiments may comprise a molar concentration of YOand/or GdOthat is at least approximately equal to the molar concentration of NbOand/or TaO. Certain embodiments and implementations may comprise particular, unique concentrations or concentration ranges of various compounds/materials in order to improve performance for use of such ceramic materials as biomedical implants.

Charge-compensating dopant stabilized alumina-zirconia ceramic materials and related materials, apparatus, and methods

Methods, apparatus, and systems for improving the performance of articulating prostheses. Some embodiments may comprise a first component comprising a first articulating surface and a second component comprising a second articulating surface configured for articulating with the first articulating surface. One or both of the first and second components may comprise a silicon nitride ceramic material. One or both of the first and second articulating surfaces may comprise a coating that is configured to accomplish at least one of increasing the hardness of the first articulating interface surface, reducing the coefficient of friction between the first and second articulating surfaces, decreasing the effects of wearing between the first and second articulating surfaces, and decreasing the intensity of audible noises produced by the endoprosthesis resulting from articulation between the first and second articulating surfaces during use.

Coated implants and related methods

A total disc implant (TDI) is provided for total replacement of a spinal disc or discs in a human patient or other mammal, wherein the TDI is designed to maintain a substantially full range of natural motion (ROM) following implantation. The TDI generally comprises, in one preferred form, upper and lower end plates for affixation to adjacent vertebral bodies, with an intervening insert disposed therebetween. The end plates each include elongated part-cylindrical surfaces oriented, generally perpendicular to each other, with one of the surfaces extending in an anterior-posterior direction and the other extending in a medial-lateral direction. The intervening insert defines concave upper and lower part-cylindrical seats oriented, for respectively engaging these part-cylindrical surfaces, wherein these part-cylindrical seats are defined by offset radii to include a somewhat flattened central base region merging smoothly with upwardly curving radiused sides.

Total disc implant

An improved hip prosthesis includes an acetabular cup bearing component constructed from a relatively hard and high strength ceramic material for articulation with a ball-shaped femoral head component which may be constructed from a compatible ceramic or metal material. In one form, the acetabular cup further includes a ceramic porous bone ingrowth surface adhered thereto for secure ingrowth attachment to natural patient bone.

Hip prosthesis with monoblock ceramic acetabular cup

A total disc implant (TDI) is provided for total replacement of a spinal disc or discs in a human patient or other mammal, wherein the TDI is designed to maintain a substantially full range of natural motion (ROM) following implantation. The TDI generally comprises, in one preferred form, upper and lower end plates for affixation to adjacent vertebral bodies, with an intervening insert disposed therebetween. The end plates each include elongated part-cylindrical surfaces oriented generally perpendicular to each other, with one of said surfaces extending in an anterior-posterior direction and the other extending in a medial-lateral direction. The intervening insert defines concave upper and lower part-cylindrical seats oriented for respectively engaging these part-cylindrical surfaces, wherein these part-cylindrical seats are defined by offset radii to include a somewhat flattened central base region merging smoothly with upwardly curving radiused sides.

A ceramic-metal composite articulation is provided with substantial elimination of wear debris, wherein a ceramic material is provided with superior mechanical properties tailored for articulating with ceramic articulations having high flexural strength (greater than about 700 MPa), high fracture toughness (greater than about 7 MPam) and a high Weibull modulus (greater than about 20), in comparison with presently available bio-ceramics such as alumina or zirconia. The mechanical property enhancement enables ceramic materials with greater reliability and significantly reduced in-vivo fracture risk to be obtained. Preliminary in-vitro wear performance, to several million cycles using established test protocols, of head/cup components in a prosthetic hip joint made from these ceramics also demonstrates the ultra low wear characteristics. These material properties substantially eliminate polyethylene (PE) wear debris mediated implant failures by offering an optimal combination of bio-mechanical safety and reliability with ultra low wear performance.

Polymer-ceramic articulation

An improved knee prosthesis includes a ceramic tibial component for articulation with natural or prosthetic (re-surfaced) femoral surfaces. The ceramic tibial component is provided in the form of a ceramic monoblock adapted for fixation relative to the patient's tibial bone, or alternately in the form of a ceramic bearing insert component carried by a tibial baseplate member which is adapted in turn for fixation relative to tibial bone. In either form, the ceramic tibial component includes at least one upwardly concave articulation surface for movable bearing engagement by a generally convex or condylar shaped femoral articulation surface. The ceramic tibial component provides improved wear characteristics with extended service life.

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Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Ramaswamy Lakshminarayanan