Multi-part Implant Segmentation for Resorbable Bone Regeneration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implants face challenges in achieving the required structural hardness and stiffness while ensuring good resorbability and penetrability for body tissue, particularly with biomechanically weaker materials like resorbable ceramics or polymers, which are limited by geometric and stereotypical constraints.
Innovation Solution
A multi-part implant design comprising a support element and a functional element, where the support element provides mechanical stability and fixation, allowing the use of softer, more brittle functional elements that can interact biologically with the body, with the functional element being made of resorbable materials to facilitate bone regeneration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resorbable ceramic or polymer materials are used for the implant, then good resorbability and penetrability for body tissue is achieved, but initial strength and mechanical stability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into two separate parts: a support element made of strong, non-resorbable material (metal, ceramic, or polymer) that provides initial mechanical stability, and a functional element made of resorbable material (such as calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, or collagen) that provides biological functionality. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
2Strength
If material input is increased to compensate for weaker biomechanical properties, then initial strength is improved, but the amount of foreign material in the body increases and geometric flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the mechanical support function from the biological functionality, the support element can be made from a small amount of high-strength material, while the functional element uses resorbable materials in controlled quantities. This eliminates the need to increase overall material input to achieve sufficient strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If the implant is designed as a single integrated structure, then manufacturing is simplified, but the functional element is restricted by geometric and stereotypical constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The functional element can be manufactured using additive manufacturing or other advanced techniques that would be difficult to apply to a single integrated structure. The support element and functional element can be optimized independently for their respective manufacturing processes, then assembled together.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional element is positioned within or attached to the support element, allowing the functional element to achieve complex geometries and structures that would be difficult to manufacture as part of a single integrated component, while still maintaining overall structural integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a multi-part implant (10) comprising: a support element (20) for fixing the implant (10) to a bone material; wherein the support element (20) forms a receiving chamber; and a functional element (30) that can be introduced into the receiving chamber; wherein the functional element (30) can be fixed at least with respect to a degree of freedom in the receiving chamber (26) by the support element (20).