Magnesium-based porous coating for orthopedic implants

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an orthopedic implant. The orthopedic implant includes an elongated member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The orthopedic implant further includes a porous coating secured to an outer surface of the elongated member. The porous coating includes magnesium phosphate.

Description

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 145156, filed February 3, 2021, entitled “Magnesium-based Porous Coating for Orthopedic Implants,” which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to orthopedic implants and methods of use. The orthopedic implants are implemented as orthopedic implants coated with a magnesium-based porous coating and can be used to fix various devices to or within the bone of a patient. Background Technology

[0004] Unless otherwise stated herein, the materials described in this section should not be considered prior art to the claims of this application.

[0005] Many surgeries in orthopedics require the use of screws, anchors, pins, or other such fixation devices. In one example, such fixation devices can be used to attach soft tissue, such as ligaments, tendons, or muscles, to a surface where the soft tissue has detached. For example, in shoulder joint repair, the rotator cuff can be reattached to the humeral head. Another example is that fixation devices can be used in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction to secure a replacement ligament to the tibia and femur. Fixation devices can also be used to secure soft tissue to auxiliary attachment sites for reinforcement. For example, in urological applications, fixation devices can be used in bladder neck suspension surgery to attach a portion of the bladder to an adjacent bone surface. This soft tissue connection can be performed in open or closed surgical procedures, the latter often referred to as arthroscopic or endoscopic procedures. The terms “arthroscopy” and “endoscopy” are used interchangeably herein and are intended to encompass arthroscopy, endoscopy, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or any other similar surgical procedures performed through thin instruments inserted into small openings in the body. Many other potential uses for various fixation devices are also possible.

[0006] In some cases, orthopedic implants may be located within cavities formed in the patient's bone. A tight fit is required between the orthopedic implant and the surrounding bone forming the cavity wall to provide maximum fixation in the shortest possible time by maximizing implant stability and the opportunity for bone inward ingrowth. If a gap exists between the orthopedic implant and the surrounding bone forming the cavity wall, certain problems may arise. For successful orthopedic implants, adequately regenerated bone fills the gap between the implant and the host bone, thus securing the implant firmly to the surrounding bone. To overcome the problem of implant loosening, orthopedic implants need to stimulate rapid bone regeneration to replenish missing bone and / or firmly fix the implant within the host bone. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the above, the inventors recognized that modified orthopedic implants with magnesium-based porous coatings are desirable. This invention provides such an apparatus and method of use.

[0008] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides an orthopedic implant. The orthopedic implant includes an elongated member having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The orthopedic implant also includes a porous coating attached to an outer surface of the elongated member. The porous coating includes magnesium phosphate.

[0009] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for securing an orthopedic implant to bone, the method comprising: (a) providing an orthopedic implant of the first aspect, (b) forming a cavity in the bone, and (c) inserting a second end of an elongated member of the orthopedic implant into the cavity of the bone.

[0010] These and other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description and, where appropriate, upon referring to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 A top view of an orthopedic implant according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0012] Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 1 A side view of an orthopedic implant.

[0013] Figure 3 An exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 1 A perspective view of an orthopedic implant.

[0014] Figure 4 A perspective view of another orthopedic implant according to an exemplary embodiment is shown.

[0015] Figure 5 A perspective view of another orthopedic implant according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] This document describes exemplary methods and systems. It should be understood that the terms “exemplary,” “illustrative,” and “illustrative” are used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or feature described herein as “exemplary,” “illustrative,” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or superior to other embodiments or features. The exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limiting. It is readily understood that the aspects of this disclosure, as generally described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

[0017] Furthermore, the specific arrangements shown in the figures should not be considered limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments may include, more or less, each element shown in a given figure. Additionally, some illustrated elements may be combined or omitted. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments may include elements not shown in the figures.

[0018] As used in this article, for the purposes of measurement, “approximately” means + / - 5%.

[0019] As used in this article, “bone stimulation” refers to the ability of a material to improve the healing of bone injuries or defects.

[0020] As used in this article, "bone conduction" refers to the ability of a material to act as a scaffold for bone growth and healing.

[0021] As used in this article, "bone induction" refers to the ability of a material to stimulate or induce bone growth.

[0022] As used herein, “biocompatibility” means that when inserted into a receptor (e.g., a mammal, including a human, the receptor), it does not cause significant adverse reactions.

[0023] As used in this article, "absorbable" refers to the ability of a material to be absorbed into the body through bodily processes. The absorbed substance may be converted into bone within the patient's body.

[0024] This disclosure provides an orthopedic implant suitable for orthopedic surgery. The orthopedic implant described herein can be used in conjunction with adhesives or bone fillers. Furthermore, the orthopedic implant described herein includes a porous magnesium phosphate coating that produces enhanced fixation strength.

[0025] Specifically, this disclosure provides an orthopedic implant comprising an elongated member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The orthopedic implant also includes a porous coating fixed to an outer surface of the elongated member. The porous coating comprises magnesium phosphate. This porous coating comprises an interconnected network of pores similar to trabeculae and can promote bone ingrowth into deeper layers of the porous coating, thereby providing better long-term orthopedic implant fixation. As used herein, “magnesium phosphate” is a collective term for magnesium and phosphates in several forms, as well as several hydrates, including but not limited to magnesium dihydrogen phosphate (Mg(H2PO4)2). . xH2O), magnesium hydrogen phosphate (MgHPO4) . xH2O) and magnesium phosphate (Mg3(PO4)2) . xH2O).

[0026] In one example, the porous coating further includes about 20-70% dry weight of KH₂PO₄, 10-50% dry weight of MgO, a calcium-containing compound, and polylactic acid. In such an example, the polylactic acid includes one of poly(L-lactic acid)PLA, L,DL-polylactic acid PLDLA, and polylactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer PLGA. Furthermore, the porous coating may include a bioactive therapeutic agent. The bioactive therapeutic agent may include natural or synthetic therapeutic agents, such as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), growth factors, bone marrow aspirate, stem cells, progenitor cells, antibiotics, amikacin, budesonide, dideoxykanamycin, fosetyl-aluminum, gentamicin, kanamycin, penicillin, neomycin, netilmicin, ribosomycin, sagamycin, seldomycin and its epimeric forms, sisomycin, sorbitin, spectinomycin and tobramycin, or other osteoconductive, osteoinductive, osteogenic, bioactive or any other fusion-enhancing material or beneficial therapeutic agent.

[0027] In one example, the porous coating further comprises a sugar, wherein the sugar comprises one of a sugar alcohol, a sugar acid, an amino sugar, a sugar polymer, a glycosaminoglycan, a glycopeptide, a sugar substitute, or a combination thereof. The thickness of the porous coating on the outer surface of the elongated member ranges from 200 μm to 50 mm. In some examples, the porous coating does not cover the entire outer surface of the elongated member, thus exposing the titanium polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyurethane, and / or bone. In another example, the entire outer surface of the elongated member is covered by the porous coating.

[0028] Porous coatings can be attached to elongated components of orthopedic implants in a variety of ways. In one example, the porous coating comprises powder with a particle size ranging from 10 μm to 200 μm. In such an example, an energy source (e.g., a laser or electron beam) is used along with the powder to build the structure layer by layer, selectively sintering the powder together to construct a three-dimensional shape. More specifically, a thin layer of powder is spread out as a uniform layer, and then an energy source is used to selectively melt regions of the powder, fusing the particles together. Another layer of powder is then laid on top of the first layer, and the energy source again melts regions of the powder. This process continues until a complete three-dimensional dynamic porous coating is constructed. Porous coating sheets can be fabricated, which can then be wrapped around the orthopedic implant, the sleeve of the dynamic porous coating can slide on the orthopedic implant, or the porous coating can be formed directly on the orthopedic implant.

[0029] In another example, the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that creates a three-dimensional porous coating. Specifically, multiple sheets of material can be stacked one on top of another. Patterns can be created on each sheet by chemical etching, stamping, or cutting, and by changing the geometry of the patterns on each sheet, porous dodecahedrons or other polyhedral structures can be formed, which can be used as porous coatings for orthopedic implants. More specifically, each sheet can be stacked one on top of another and sintered together to form a porous structure. Many different porous structures can be produced by changing the geometry of the cuts in each layer.

[0030] In another example, a structure resembling bone trabeculae (e.g., polyurethane foam) is coated with another material (e.g., magnesium phosphate material) via vapor deposition, low-temperature arc vapor deposition (LTAVD), chemical vapor deposition, ion beam-assisted deposition, and / or sputtering. The underlying structure (e.g., polyurethane foam) can then be pyrolyzed to remove it, leaving a magnesium phosphate-based metal structure that can be attached to orthopedic implants (e.g., by sintering, brazing, diffusion bonding, adhesive bonding, or gluing, etc.).

[0031] In one specific example, commercially available pure titanium (ASTM F67, Grade 2) sheets can be cut into discs with a diameter of 16 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. After cutting, the titanium sheets can be polished to a mirror finish using SiC sandpaper, rinsed with acetone in an ultrasonic bath, and washed with distilled water. In one specific example, the electrolyte used can contain 0.042 M Ca(NO3)2 and 0.025 M NH4H2PO4, and its pH value can be approximately 4. Cathodic polarization and deposition can be performed using an EG&G Model 273A potentiostat / galvanostat. The titanium disc can be used as the cathode, the platinum plate as the counter electrode, and the silver / silver chloride electrode in saturated potassium chloride (0.197 V vs. SHE) can be used as the reference electrode. Cathodic polarization can be conducted from the open-circuit voltage at a rate of 0.6 V / h to 3.0 V (relative to the Ag / AgCl electrode). It can then be conducted at room temperature (25 °C) at a rate of 1–20 mA / cm. 2 Magnesium coatings were deposited at a current density of 10 mA / cm² for 5–40 minutes. After deposition, the samples were rinsed in distilled water to remove residual electrolytes and air-dried for 24 hours. In some examples, the current density was 10 mA / cm². 2 The deposited samples were annealed at 100–700 °C for 1 hour.

[0032] Furthermore, curing uncured bone irritant material may involve heat-treating the orthopedic implant after applying the uncured material to its outer surface. Because high deposition temperatures are required to obtain a high-quality MgO film, the curing temperature can be between 400°C and 500°C, varying in 25°C increments. Annealing curing is inversely proportional to the thickness of the bone irritant mixture. After baking in an oven, the orthopedic implant is air-dried. This heat treatment process significantly reduces drying time compared to simply applying the bone irritant material to the outer surface of the orthopedic implant and allowing it to cure without heating.

[0033] Orthopedic implants come in many forms. In one example, such as... Figure 1-3 As shown, the orthopedic implant 100 includes an elongated member 102 having a first end 104 and a second end 106 opposite to the first end 104. The elongated member 102 is tapered at the second end 106 such that the width of the second end 106 is smaller than the width of the first end 104.

[0034] In one example, the orthopedic implant 100 further includes a first channel 108 positioned on a first side 110 of the elongated member 102 and extending from a first end 104 to a second end 106. In such an example, the orthopedic implant 100 also includes a second channel 112 positioned on a second side 114 of the elongated member 102 and extending from the first end 104 to the second end 106. The orthopedic implant 100 also includes one or more through-holes 116 connecting the first channel 108 to the second channel 112. The first channel 108 is recessed in the first side 110 of the elongated member 102, and the second channel 112 is recessed in the second side 114 of the elongated member 102.

[0035] Furthermore, the orthopedic implant 100 may include a first portion and a conical second portion, wherein the first side 110 and the second side 114 are spaced a fixed distance apart. The first side 110 may have at least the radius of curvature of the first portion, and the second side 114 may have at least the radius of curvature of the first portion.

[0036] In one example, the outer surface of the elongated member 102 is unthreaded. In such an example, the first end 104 may be substantially flat, allowing it to be configured for insertion into a structure via a hammer or other similar tool. In another example, at least a portion of the outer surface of the elongated member 102 includes multiple threads. In such an example, the orthopedic implant 100 may also be a drive socket located at the first end 104 of the elongated member 102. This drive socket may include a recessed cutout in the first end 104 of the elongated member 102. In one example, the orthopedic implant 100 also includes a head attached to the first end 104 of the elongated member 102. The diameter of the head may be larger than the diameter of the elongated member 102, thereby providing a stopping point for insertion of the orthopedic implant 100 into the structure during use. The elongated member 102 may be integral with the head, such that they are integrally formed, or the elongated member 102 may be attached separately to the head. In such an example, the drive socket may be integral with the head, such that the drive socket includes a recessed cutout in the head.

[0037] This drive sleeve is designed to interact with a suitable torque-transmitting insertion device (such as an implant actuator), thereby allowing the implant to be driven into the prepared sleeve to receive the necessary torque. For example, the drive sleeve may be a polygonal recess in the first end of an elongated member, while the torque-transmitting characteristics of the distal end of the actuator are corresponding polygonal protrusions (e.g., found in conventional hex wrenches or "internal hex" wrenches). In another embodiment, the drive sleeve may be one or more axially extending slots recessed in the first end of the elongated member 102, while the actuator is a slotted flat-blade or Phillips head ("Phillips head") screwdriver. However, other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the positions of the various mating elements (e.g., grooves and slots that mate with various protruding protrusions, projections, tabs, and splines) can be interchanged and / or reversed as needed.

[0038] In another example, such as Figure 4 As shown, the orthopedic implant includes a pin 200. In another example, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the orthopedic implant includes a wedge 300. Other forms of orthopedic implants may be possible using the method described above.

[0039] Elongated components can take many forms. In one example, the elongated components of an orthopedic implant may include titanium, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyurethane, bone, or combinations thereof.

[0040] In another example, the entire orthopedic implant is made of a solidified bone-stimulating material comprising a polymer including polylactic acid and magnesium phosphate or potassium phosphate. As used herein, “polylactic acid” or polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable and bioactive thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources and can take many forms, including but not limited to poly-L-lactide (PLLA), poly-D-lactide (PDLA), and poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) (PLDLLA). As used herein, “magnesium phosphate” is a collective term for magnesium and phosphates occurring in several forms and as hydrates, including but not limited to magnesium dihydrogen phosphate (Mg(H2PO4)2). . xH2O), magnesium hydrogen phosphate (MgHPO4) . xH2O) and magnesium phosphate (Mg3(PO4)2) . (xH2O). As used in this article, "calcium phosphate" is a class of calcium ions (Ca). 2+ Materials and minerals containing inorganic phosphate anions, including but not limited to monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, octacalcium phosphate, amorphous calcium phosphate, dicalcium diphosphate, tricalcium triphosphate, hydroxyapatite, apatite, and tetracalcium phosphate.

[0041] The elongated body of orthopedic implants made from polymers including polylactic acid and magnesium or potassium phosphate offers numerous advantages. In particular, this material allows the implant to be absorbed within the body, resulting in increased fixation strength and faster absorption. Unlike traditional metal alloy bone screws, orthopedic implants do not require removal after a period of time because the material allows bone to effectively replace the implant structure. Therefore, no voids are left after the implant is absorbed. Instead, the implant is replaced by naturally growing bone structure within the body, resulting in very strong fixation. Consequently, the elongated component of orthopedic implants can be fully absorbable.

[0042] The resulting orthopedic implants exhibit relatively high load-bearing mechanical strength, while additionally and ideally providing high osteoconductivity and osteoinductive properties to achieve enhanced bone ingrowth and fusion. In use, the polymers constituting the orthopedic implant, including polylactic acid and magnesium or potassium phosphate, induce bone growth into the implant and are subsequently absorbed. The orthopedic implant is eventually replaced by bone in the body, thus firmly securing the components connected by the orthopedic implant (e.g., a replacement ligament in ACL reconstruction surgery or an existing rotator cuff in rotator cuff reduction surgery) to the body's bone structure.

[0043] In another example, at least a portion of the outer surface of the elongated member comprises a cured bone-stimulating material with a porous coating on the material. Such bone-stimulating materials can take many forms. Bone-stimulating materials can allow biological structures to connect to each other in situ (i.e., in vivo) and to artificial structures. Bone-stimulating materials can also promote the repair of bone, ligaments, tendons, and adjacent structures. Bone-stimulating materials can also provide bone substitutes for surgical repair. Formulations of bone-stimulating materials can be used at a variety of temperatures, pH ranges, humidity levels, and pressures. However, the formulation can be designed for use at all physiological temperatures, pH ranges, and fluid concentrations. Bone-stimulating materials are typically (but not necessarily) injectable before curing and can exhibit a neutral pH after curing. It may be absorbed by the host over a period of time.

[0044] In one specific example, the cured bone stimulating material comprises approximately 20-70% KH₂PO₄ by dry weight, 10-50% magnesium oxide (MgO) by dry weight, a calcium-containing compound, polylactic acid, and magnesium phosphate or potassium phosphate. The cured bone stimulating material may possess osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties. Furthermore, the cured bone stimulating material may be bioresorbable. The thickness of the cured bone stimulating material on the outer surface of the elongated member ranges from approximately 200 μm to approximately 50 mm. In some examples, the cured bone stimulating material does not cover the entire outer surface of the elongated member, resulting in exposed titanium polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyurethane, and / or bone regions. In another example, as described above, the outer surface of the elongated member may include multiple threads or multiple grooves. In such an example, the cured bone stimulating material is positioned in one or more of the multiple grooves. In another example, the entire elongated member comprises the cured bone stimulating material.

[0045] According to another aspect of the invention, the orthopedic implant may additionally carry one or more bioactive therapeutic agents for achieving further enhanced bone fusion and inward growth. Such bioactive therapeutic agents may include natural or synthetic therapeutic agents, such as bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), growth factors, bone marrow aspirates, stem cells, progenitor cells, antibiotics, or other osteoconductive, osteoinductive, osteogenic, bioactive, or any other fusion-enhancing materials or beneficial therapeutic agents. In another embodiment, the bioactive therapeutic agent includes one of amikacin, butirocin, dideoxykanamycin, fortimycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, penicillin, neomycin, netilmicin, ribosomycin, sagamycin, sildenafil and their epimeric forms, perillamide, sorbitin, spectinomycin, and tobramycin.

[0046] The resulting orthopedic implants exhibit relatively high load-bearing mechanical strength, while also providing, ideally, high osteoconductivity and osteoinductive properties to achieve enhanced bone regrowth and fusion. In use, the cured bone-stimulating material positioned on the outer surface of the slender component of the orthopedic implant induces bone growth into the implant and is subsequently absorbed. The bone-stimulating material is eventually replaced by bone, thus securing the orthopedic implant more firmly within the body.

[0047] Bone-stimulating materials are particularly useful in situations where the use of metal fasteners and other non-bioresorbable materials is strongly avoided (e.g., in orthopedic surgery). They are also useful post-operatively, such as when a certain amount of expansion or swelling is anticipated after cranioplasty. This provides an excellent platform for bone formation. Bone-stimulating materials can also be used as anchoring devices or graft materials.

[0048] In operation, the present invention provides a method for fixing an orthopedic implant to bone, the method comprising: (a) providing an orthopedic implant according to any of the above embodiments, (b) forming a cavity in the bone, and (c) inserting a second end of an elongated member of the orthopedic implant into the cavity in the bone.

[0049] In one embodiment, the method further includes applying an uncured bone-stimulating material to the outer surface of the elongated member.

[0050] In one embodiment, the method further includes inserting a ligament into a cavity in the bone and inserting a second end of an elongated member of the orthopedic implant into the cavity in the bone, such that the elongated member fills most of the cavity, wherein the ligament is securely fixed between the elongated member and the inner surface of the cavity in the bone.

[0051] In some examples, one or more components of the aforementioned orthopedic implant are manufactured using additive manufacturing processes employing additive manufacturing machines such as stereolithography, multi-nozzle molding, inkjet printing, selective laser sintering / melting, and fused filament fabrication. Additive manufacturing enables one or more components of orthopedic implants and other physical objects to be created as internally connected monolithic structures using a layer-by-layer generation process. Additive manufacturing involves depositing a physical object into one or more selected materials based on the object's design. For example, additive manufacturing can use computer-aided design (CAD) of the orthopedic implant as instructions to generate one or more components of the orthopedic implant. Therefore, changes to the design of the orthopedic implant can be made immediately during subsequent physical creation of the implant. This allows components of the orthopedic implant to be easily adjusted or scaled to suit different types of applications (e.g., for various wing sizes). In a particular example, the step of attaching a porous coating to the outer surface of an elongated member of the orthopedic implant includes performing an additive manufacturing process to deposit the porous coating onto the outer surface of the elongated member.

[0052] The layer-by-layer process used in additive manufacturing can deposit one or more components of an orthopedic implant with a complex design that might be impossible for devices assembled using conventional manufacturing methods. In turn, the design of orthopedic implants can include aspects designed to improve overall operation. For example, the design can incorporate physical elements that help redirect stress in a desired manner that conventionally manufactured devices might not be able to replicate.

[0053] Additive manufacturing also enables the deposition of one or more components of orthopedic implants in various materials using multi-material additive manufacturing processes. In such an example, an elongated member may be made of a first material, and a porous coating may be made of a second material different from the first material. In another example, both the elongated member and the porous coating may be made of the same material. Other example combinations of materials are also possible. Furthermore, one or more components of an orthopedic implant may have some layers formed using a first type of material and other layers produced using a second type of material. In addition, various processes are used in other instances to produce one or more components of orthopedic implants. These processes are included in Table 1.

[0054] Table 1

[0055] DEP Direct Energy Deposition DMLS Direct Metal Laser Sintering DMP Direct metal printing EBAM Electron beam additive manufacturing EBM Electron beam emission EBPD Electron beam powder bed FDM Molten deposition modeling IPD Indirect power bed LCT Laser cladding technology LDT Laser deposition technology LDW Laser deposition welding LDWM Laser deposition welding in integrated milling LENS Laser near-net-shape forming LFMT Laser freeform surface manufacturing technology LMD-p Powder-based laser metal deposition LMD-w Laser metal deposition line LPB Laser powder bed LPD Laser molten pool deposition LRT Laser repair technology PDED Powder Directed Energy Deposition SLA Stereolithography SLM Selective laser melting SLS Laser selective sintering SPD Small pool sedimentation

[0056] Each component of the aforementioned orthopedic implants may represent a module, a segment, or a portion of program code, comprising one or more instructions executable by a processor or computing device for creating such a device using an additive manufacturing system. The program code may be stored on any type of computer-readable medium, such as storage devices including disks or hard disk drives. Computer-readable media may include non-transitory computer-readable media, such as computer-readable media that store short-term data, such as register memory, processor cache, and random access memory (RAM). Computer-readable media may also include non-transitory media, such as auxiliary or permanent long-term memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), optical discs or disks, and optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). Computer-readable media may also be any other volatile or non-volatile storage system. Computer-readable media can be considered, for example, computer-readable storage media or tangible storage devices.

[0057] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and specific embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting; the true scope is shown by the scope of the following claims and all their equivalents. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0058] Because many detailed modifications, variations, and alterations can be made to the described examples, all the foregoing descriptions and illustrations shown in the figures should be interpreted as illustrative rather than restrictive. Furthermore, it should be understood that the following clauses (and any combination thereof) further describe various aspects of this specification.

Claims

1. An orthopedic implant (100), comprising: An elongated member (102) having a first end (104) and a second end (106) opposite to the first end (104). and A porous coating is attached to the outer surface of the elongated member (102), wherein the porous coating comprises magnesium phosphate; The elongated member (102) is tapered at the second end (106) such that the width of the second end (106) is smaller than the width of the first end (104); The orthopedic implant (100) further includes: A first channel (108) is positioned on a first side (110) of the elongated member (102) and extends from the first end (104) to the second end (106). A second channel (112) is positioned on the second side (114) of the elongated member (102) and extends from the first end (104) to the second end (106); and One or more through holes (116) connect the first channel (108) to the second channel (112); and At least a portion of the outer surface of the elongated member (102) includes a plurality of threads.

2. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 1, wherein the porous coating further comprises a bioactive therapeutic agent.

3. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 2, wherein the bioactive therapeutic agent comprises one of amikacin, butirocin, dideoxykanamycin, fortimacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, purpuricin, neomycin, netilmicin, ribosomycin, sagamycin, sildenafil and its epimeric forms, perillamycin, sorbitin, spectinomycin and tobramycin.

4. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 2-3, wherein the porous coating further comprises sugar, and wherein the sugar comprises one of sugar alcohol, sugar acid, amino sugar, sugar polymer, sugar substitute and combination thereof, wherein the sugar polymer comprises glycosaminoglycan and glycopeptide.

5. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the thickness of the porous coating on the outer surface of the elongated member (102) ranges from 200 μm to 50 mm.

6. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 4, wherein the thickness of the porous coating on the outer surface of the elongated member (102) ranges from 200 μm to 50 mm.

7. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 1-3 and 6, wherein the elongated member (102) comprises titanium, polyetheretherketone, polyurethane, bone, or a cured bone-stimulating material.

8. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 4, wherein the elongated member (102) comprises titanium, polyetheretherketone, polyurethane, bone, or a cured bone-stimulating material.

9. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 5, wherein the elongated member (102) comprises titanium, polyetheretherketone, polyurethane, bone, or a cured bone-stimulating material.

10. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, 6 and 8-9, wherein the one or more through holes (116) comprises a plurality of through holes (116).

11. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 4, wherein the one or more through holes (116) comprises a plurality of through holes (116).

12. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 5, wherein the one or more through holes (116) comprises a plurality of through holes (116).

13. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 7, wherein the one or more through holes (116) comprises a plurality of through holes (116).

14. The orthopedic implant (100) of claim 10, wherein the first channel (108) is recessed in the first side (110) of the elongated member (102), and wherein the second channel (112) is recessed in the second side (114) of the elongated member (102).

15. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 11-13, wherein the first channel (108) is recessed in the first side (110) of the elongated member (102), and wherein the second channel (112) is recessed in the second side (114) of the elongated member (102).

16. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, 6, 8-9 and 11-14, wherein the porous coating comprises powder with a particle size between 10 μm and 200 μm.

17. The orthopedic implant (100) of claim 4, wherein the porous coating comprises powder with a particle size between 10 μm and 200 μm.

18. The orthopedic implant (100) of claim 5, wherein the porous coating comprises powder with a particle size between 10 μm and 200 μm.

19. The orthopedic implant (100) of claim 7, wherein the porous coating comprises powder with a particle size between 10 μm and 200 μm.

20. The orthopedic implant (100) of claim 10, wherein the porous coating comprises powder with a particle size between 10 μm and 200 μm.

21. The orthopedic implant (100) of claim 15, wherein the porous coating comprises powder with a particle size between 10 μm and 200 μm.

22. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, 6, 8-9, 11-14 and 17-21, wherein the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that produces a three-dimensional porous coating.

23. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 4, wherein the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that produces a three-dimensional porous coating.

24. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 5, wherein the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that produces a three-dimensional porous coating.

25. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 7, wherein the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that produces a three-dimensional porous coating.

26. The orthopedic implant (100) of claim 10, wherein the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that produces a three-dimensional porous coating.

27. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 15, wherein the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that produces a three-dimensional porous coating.

28. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 16, wherein the porous coating is formed from a powder sintered layer that produces a three-dimensional porous coating.

29. The orthopedic implant (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, 6, 8-9, 11-14, 17-21 and 23-28, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

30. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 4, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

31. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 5, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

32. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 7, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

33. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 10, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

34. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 15, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

35. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 16, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

36. The orthopedic implant (100) according to claim 22, wherein the porous coating is formed by a chemical vapor deposition process.

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