Resorbable Bone Implant with Water-Soluble Binder Matrix

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for treating bone defects, such as acetabular defects, face challenges including complications in handling allogeneic bone chips, potential infections, low mechanical strength of demineralized bone matrix and calcium phosphates, and the need for replacement of metallic lattice structures, which do not facilitate biological reconstruction and often increase defect size during revision surgeries.

Innovation Solution

An implant comprising a binder matrix and two sets of support bodies, where the support bodies are movable and can be independently positioned within the binder matrix, allowing for adaptation to individual bone defect shapes, and are designed for degradation and resorption at different rates to provide primary and secondary stability and facilitate biological reconstruction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If allogeneic bone chips are used for impaction bone grafting, then biological reconstruction is achieved, but handling complexity and infection risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebiological reconstructionVSAvoidhandling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a water-soluble binder matrix that acts as a temporary carrier during surgery, dissolving automatically after implantation to release the bone substitute particles. This eliminates the need for complex handling of individual bone chips while providing biological reconstruction functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines bone substitute particles (such as calcium phosphates or bone chips) with a water-soluble binder matrix to create a composite implant formulation. This allows the material to be applied as a cohesive unit that is easy to handle yet provides the biological reconstruction benefits of bone grafting materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If demineralized bone matrix is used, then biological reconstruction is promoted, but mechanical strength is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebiological reconstructionVSAvoidmechanical strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent formulates composite bone substitute materials that combine demineralized bone matrix or calcium phosphate particles with mechanically stronger bone substitute particles. This creates a composite structure that provides both the biological reconstruction properties of demineralized matrix and the mechanical strength needed to support the implant during healing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If calcium phosphates are used, then biocompatibility is improved, but mechanical strength remains low

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebiocompatibilityVSAvoidmechanical strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates composite formulations combining calcium phosphate particles with other bone substitute materials that have higher mechanical strength. The calcium phosphate provides excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity, while the accompanying bone substitute particles provide the necessary mechanical support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Strength

If metallic lattice structures are used, then mechanical strength is provided, but biological reconstruction is prevented and defect size increases during revision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidbiological reconstruction
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs resorbable bone substitute materials that provide temporary mechanical support during the healing period and then gradually degrade as new bone forms. This eliminates the need for permanent metallic implants, allows biological reconstruction to proceed, and avoids the need for revision surgery to replace the implant.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The resorbable bone substitute materials are designed to be gradually degraded and replaced by new bone tissue through the body's natural remodeling processes. The implant material is discarded as it serves its temporary support function, and the space is recovered and refilled with biologically grown bone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

5Device complexity

If a single material is used for bone defect filling, then simplicity is maintained, but both primary stability and biological reconstruction cannot be simultaneously optimized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial simplicityVSAvoidprimary stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent formulates composite bone substitute materials where different particle types are combined in a single implant formulation. For example, larger bone substitute particles provide mechanical interlocking and primary stability, while smaller particles or demineralized matrix components fill voids and promote biological reconstruction, all within one applied material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 implant achieves all three goals of revision surgery: restoring the joint center, ensuring primary and secondary stability, and promoting biological reconstruction of the bone defect, with the binder matrix being removable and support bodies degrading at distinct rates to support continuous bone growth and stability.

Implementation Method 1

The binder matrix is removable by means of water and/or an aqueous liquid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

The support bodies are degradable and/or resorbable in vivo

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBiological degradation: Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentEP3793624B1Implant for treatment of a bone defect
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 AESCULAP AG
  • EP3793624B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3793624B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D

AI summary

The invention relates to an implant, preferably for treatment of a bone defect, having: a binder matrix, a first group of support bodies, and a second group of support bodies, wherein the support bodies are at least partially surrounded by the binder matrix, characterized in that the binder matrix is removable by means of water and/or an aqueous liquid, and the support bodies of the first group are more rapidly degradable in vivo and/or more rapidly resorbable in vivo than the support bodies of the second group, and/or the binder matrix is more rapidly degradable in vivo and/or more rapidly resorbable in vivo than the support bodies of the first and second group, and the support bodies of the first group are more rapidly degradable in vivo and/or more rapidly resorbable in vivo than the support bodies of the second group. The invention further relates to a method for producing the implant, to a kit, and to a method for treatment of a bone defect.