Implants for orthopedic applications

Claim 2

1 . A method of producing an osteogenic, composite implant comprising the steps of: obtaining a composition of bone particles, wherein said bone particles comprise fully mineralized bone particles, partially or fully demineralized bone particles, or a combination thereof; forming said composition into a predetermined shape; and subjecting said composition to a cross-linking treatment.

Claim 3

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said bone particles are partially or fully demineralized.

Claim 4

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking treatment comprises contacting said bone composition with a chemical agent selected from the group consisting of mono- and di-aldehydes, including glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde; polyepoxy compounds such as glycerol polyglycidyl ethers, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ethers and other polyepoxy and diepoxy glycidyl ethers; tanning agents including polyvalent metallic oxides such as titanium dioxide, chromium dioxide, aluminum dioxide, zirconium salt, as well as organic tannins and other phenolic oxides derived from plants; chemicals for esterification or carboxyl groups followed by reaction with hydrazide to form activated acyl azide functionalities in the collagen; dicyclohexyl carbodiimide and its derivatives as well as heterobifunctional crosslinking agents; hexamethylene diisocyante; and sugars such as glucose.

Claim 5

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking treatment comprises contacting said composition with an enzyme.

Claim 6

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said enzyme is transglutiminase.

Claim 7

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking treatment comprises dihydrothermal treatment of said composition.

Claim 8

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said cross-linking treatment comprises irradiation of said composition.

Claim 9

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition further comprises a binding agent selected from the group consisting of collagen, gelatin, fibrinogen, thrombin, elastin, albumin, keratin, chitin, gelatin-resorcinol-formaldehyde glues; collagen-based glues; cellolosics such as ethyl cellulose; bioaborbale polymers such as starches, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polylatic-co-glycolic acid, polydioxanone, polycaprolactone, polycarbonates, polyorthoesters, polyamino acids, polyanhydrides, polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyvalyrate, poly (propylene glyco-co-fumaric acid), tyrosine-based polycarbonates; pharmaceutical tablet binders; cellulose, ethyl cellulose, micro-crystalline cellulose and blends thereof; and combinations of the foregoing.

Claim 10

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming step comprises depositing said composition into a mold comprising said predetermined shape, and storing said composition in said mold for a sufficient amount of time to allow for said composition to retain said predetermined shape.

Claim 11

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein slight or no pressure is applied to said composition during said forming step.

Claim 12

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein slight pressure comprises about 975 or less psi.

Claim 13

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein slight pressure comprises between about 0 and about 500 psi.

Claim 14

13 . The method of claim 9 wherein applying pressure to said composition is not required for said composition to retain said predetermined shape.

Claim 15

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the porosity of said osteogenic, implant is increased by applying less than about 975 psi to said composition during said forming step.

Claim 16

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said forming step comprises casting said composition into a pre-finished shape, and machining said pre-finished shape into a finished shape.

Claim 17

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined shape is selected from the group consisting of a sheet, plate, disk, cone, suture anchor, pin, wedge, cylinder, screw, tube or lumen, or dowel.

Claim 18

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein said osteogenic, cross-linked implant has one or more threads, grooves, ridges, slots, holes, apertures, or furrows, or combinations thereof, machined on the surface thereof.

Claim 19

18 . An osteogenic, cross-linked, composite implant produced according to the method of claim 1 .

Claim 20

19 . An osteogenic, cross-linked, composite implant comprised of fully mineralized, or partially or fully demineralized bone particles, or a combination thereof that are molded and cast into a predetermined shape through application of less than about 975 psi.

Claim 21

19 . An osteogenic, cross-linked, composite implant comprised of fully mineralized, or partially or fully demineralized bone particles, or a combination thereof that are molded and cast into a predetermined shape through application of less than about 975 psi.