Porous Implants with Injectable Capabilities for Bone Ingrowth

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Solution Overview

Problem

In reconstructive bone surgery, existing implants secured with mechanical fasteners often interfere with bone ingrowth and require additional surgeries for removal, and bone anchors may disengage when tensioned.

Innovation Solution

A porous implant with a structure that receives injectable substances, such as platelet-rich plasma or cement, to fuse with the bone and facilitate ingrowth, featuring a porosity of at least 60% and anchor portions with through-holes for substance administration, minimizing deformation during insertion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If mechanical fasteners are used to secure the implant to bone, then the implant is firmly fixed, but additional surgeries are required to remove the fasteners and they interfere with bone ingrowth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant fixation strengthVSAvoidinterference with bone ingrowth

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes mechanical fasteners from the system entirely, replacing them with a porous implant structure that achieves fixation through bone ingrowth and injectable substances, eliminating the harmful interference fasteners cause to bone regeneration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The implant incorporates a porous structure with interconnected pores that allow bone tissue to grow into and through the implant, providing mechanical interlocking and biological integration without requiring mechanical fasteners

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Strength

If mechanical fasteners are used to secure the implant, then the implant is firmly fixed, but additional surgeries are required to remove the implant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant fixation strengthVSAvoidadditional surgery time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By eliminating mechanical fasteners and using a porous structure with injectable substances for fixation, the implant achieves permanent biological integration that eliminates the need for removal surgery, saving patient time and reducing surgical risks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the porous structure has high porosity for bone ingrowth, then bone can grow into the implant, but the structural strength may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebone ingrowth capabilityVSAvoidimplant structural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The implant combines a porous structural framework with injectable substances (such as bone cement, growth factors, or bone marrow aspirate) to create a composite system where the porous structure provides bone ingrowth pathways while the injectable material provides initial mechanical strength and biological stimulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Stability of the object's composition

If the tip portion is made solid to minimize deformation during insertion, then insertion stability is improved, but the porous structure for bone ingrowth is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetip deformation resistanceVSAvoidbone ingrowth capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The implant is divided into distinct functional zones: a solid tip portion for stable insertion that maintains structural integrity during surgery, and a porous body portion that enables bone ingrowth and biological integration, with each segment optimized for its specific function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 porous implant securely attaches to the bone without mechanical fasteners, allowing for bone ingrowth and reducing the need for additional surgeries by using injectable substances to adhere and integrate with the bone structure.

Implementation Method 1

a porous structure for receiving at least one injectable substance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

The porous structure can comprise a porosity of at least about 60%

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 3

The at least one injectable substance can elute from the porous portion onto the adjacent bone structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 4

The injectable substance can include cement or other adhesive compounds for adhering the implant to the adjacent bone

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS10537373B2Porous implants with injectable capabilities

Publication Date: 2020.01.21 BIOMET SPORTS MEDICINE LLC

AI summary

An implant having a porous portion with a plurality of interconnected voids for receiving at least one injectable substance such that an injectable substance can elute from the porous portion. A syringe can be inserted into the at least one porous portion for administering the at least one injectable substance into the voids of the porous structure. The implant can be implanted with the at least one porous portion pre-loaded with the at least one injectable substance. The at least one porous portion can be loaded by inserting the syringe into the at least one porous portion after implanting the implant. The porous portion can be re-loaded with the syringe after the at least one injectable substance has eluted from the porous portion or replaced with a different injectable substance.