Angular Ceramic Bone Replacement Material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current bone-replacement materials, such as calcium phosphate blocks and injected granulates with spherical particles, face challenges in shaping and application time, lack cohesion, and do not effectively promote tissue growth and bone recovery.

Innovation Solution

A kneadable and moldable bone-replacement material using non-spheric, angular ceramic particles with a hydrogel matrix, optimized for particle size, porosity, and composition to enhance cohesion, resorption, and tissue growth, while minimizing application time and risk of irritation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If spherical particles are used for injection, then ease of injection is improved, but cohesion is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of injectionVSAvoidcohesion
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by deliberately avoiding spherical particles. Instead, it uses angular particles with specific shape characteristics (sphericity ratio S between 0.3 and 0.7) to achieve cohesion through interlocking and mechanical entanglement, thereby resolving the contradiction between injection ease and material cohesion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Manufacturing precision

If blocks are tailored to shape, then shape precision is improved, but application time is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape precisionVSAvoidapplication time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming angular ceramic particles with optimized shape characteristics during manufacturing. These pre-engineered particles then self-assemble into cohesive structures during application, eliminating the need for time-consuming custom shaping while maintaining geometric precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the critical parameter from particle shape (spherical) to angular geometry with controlled sphericity ratios. This parameter transformation allows the material to achieve both ease of application and shape fidelity through the inherent geometric properties of angular particles rather than post-processing shaping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If angular particles are used, then cohesion is improved, but particle surface area increases causing irritation risk

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecohesionVSAvoidirritation risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the particle shape parameter from spherical to angular with controlled sphericity ratios (0.3-0.7), and simultaneously controls particle size (100-500 micrometers). This dual parameter optimization achieves cohesion through angular geometry while limiting irritation risk through controlled size specifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The material allows for quick and easy application, improved mechanical stability, accelerated bone recovery, and reduced risk of irritation, with enhanced cohesion and tissue growth promotion compared to spherical particle-based materials.

Implementation Method 1

the adhesive interaction between the particles and the hydrogel to be increased, guaranteeing the moldability of the bone-replacement material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive interaction: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

The pore size of the ceramic particles should be between 1 and 500 micrometers... This guarantees optimum pore size distribution and the growth of autogenous tissue through the pores

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPorosity: Porosity

Data Source

PatentUS8603184B2Kneadable and pliable bone replacement material
Publication Date: 2013.12.10 DEPUY SYNTHES PROD INC

AI summary

A kneadable and moldable bone-replacement material includes a mixture of calcium-containing ceramic particles and a hydrogel or a substance which can be swelled into a hydrogel. The ceramic particles are of fully synthetic origin and the individual ceramic particles have a structure which is at least partially cohesive and porous. In addition, the majority of the ceramic particles have a non-spheric shape.