United States Surgical Corporation

Robert D Torgerson

Thomas W Sander

Michael P Chesterfield

Barry Eppley

A porous bioabsorbable surgical implant material is prepared by coating particles of bioabsorbable polymer with tissue ingrowth promoter. Typical bioabsorbable polymers include polymers of glycolide, lactide, caprolactone, trimethylene carbonate, dioxanone, and physical and chemical combinations thereof. The tissue ingrowth promoter can include calcium hydroxide and/or a hydrophilic coating material. The hydrophilic coating material can be bioabsorbable or non-bioabsorbable. A typical non-bioabsorbable hydrophilic coating material is polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA). The bioabsorbable implant material may also contain a therapeutic agent. Typical therapeutic agents include an antimicrobial agent, dye, growth factors and combinations thereof.

Bioabsorbable implant material

Flexible prosthetic implants for repairing, replacing or augmenting hard tissue or bone. The flexible implant comprises a plurality of segments that are connected by flexible retainers which enable the segments to be re-oriented in relation to one another to accommodate the contour, size and shape of the body part being treated. A method for making such flexible prosthetic implants is also disclosed.

Method of making a prospthetic implant

Prosthetic implant

A porous bioabsorbable surgical implant material is prepared by coating particles of bioabsorbable polymer with a tissue ingrowth promoter. Typical polymers include polymers of glycolide, lactide, caprolactone, trimethylene carbonate, dioxanone and physical and chemical combinations thereof. The tissue ingrowth promoter can include calcium hydroxide and/or a hydrophillic coating material. The hydrophillic coating material can be bioabsorbable or non-bioabsorbable. A typical non-bioabsorbable hydrophillic coating material is polyhydroxymethylmethacrylate (PHEMA). The bioabsorbable implant material may also contain a therapeutic agent. Typical therapeutic agents include an antimicrobial agent, dye, growth factor and combinations thereof. Typically, the particles are prepared by rotary atomization and coated by spraying.

Method for treating bioabsorbable implant material

A vacuum bag method for in-situ molding of surgical implants. The method comprises creating an implant precursor material composed of an aggregation of polymer beads coated with a hydrophilic monomer dispersion. A flexible bag containing the implant precursor is molded in-situ to a desired specific shape, and the implant precursor is then rigidified by applying a vacuum to the interior of the bag. The implant precursor is cured by heating to form a unitary porous prosthesis which may be implanted into body tissue to remedy bone defects.

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Branford, CT, United States of America

Robert D Torgerson