Waldemar Link Gmbh &co. Kg

Ortus Medical Limited

Roger Thull

Helmut D Link

Uwe Gbureck

Jake E Barralet

Jake Barralet

The invention relates to an implant with a coating () which releases silver ions in the human body and as a result has antimicrobial action. According to the invention, a first surface component of the coating () is formed by an anode material (). A second surface component of the coating () is formed by a cathode material (). The cathode material is higher in the electrochemical voltage series than the anode material (). The cathode material () and the anode material () are connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner. Together with the body electrolyte in the environment of the implant, the anode material () and the cathode material () form a multitude of local galvanic elements. The antimicrobial action of the coating () is improved as a result.

Implant with antimicrobial coating

In a first aspect, the present invention discloses a self setting calcium phosphate cement comprising:&#x2014;(i) a powdered component, said powdered component having an average particle size dof less than 15 &#x3bc;m, and (ii) a calcium phosphate based powder, said powder having an average particle size dgreater than that of the powdered component, said powdered component and said calcium phosphate based powder being suspended in water containing a dissolved zeta potential increasing additive in sufficient quantity to increase the zeta potential of the suspended particles to at least 30 mV, and wherein the zeta potential increasing additive is chosen to be compatible with the setting pH of the same calcium phosphate cement without the zeta potential increasing additive. In a second aspect, the invention discloses a shelf-stable acidic setting cement powder comprising:&#x2014;(i) a calcium phosphate based powder, and (ii) a powdered compound which, upon addition of water to form a cement paste, retards the cement setting reaction or increases the zeta potential of the resultant suspended particles to at least &#x2212;30 mV.

Calcium phosphate bone cements

An endoprosthesis component and a method for producing an endoprosthesis component is disclosed. The endoprosthesis component comprises a body predefining the shape of the endoprosthesis component. On surface portions with which the endoprosthesis component in the implanted state is in contact with human tissue, the body is covered with an outer layer which comprises a nitride, an oxynitride or an oxide based on a refractory metal and which contains silver and/or copper. An intermediate layer is arranged between the outer layer and the body in such a way that parts of the intermediate layer are accessible from the outside. The endoprosthesis component enables generation of a long-term antimicrobial action with the outer layer and, in addition, action on the surrounding tissue from the intermediate layer.

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Würzburg, Germany

Roger Thull