Implantable material and appliances and method of stabilizing body implants

Claim 2

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising a resilient, fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible. said structure having sufficient resiliency and distensibility when implanted to develop the type of ingrowth tissue needed at the implant location responsive to the mechanical forces at the implant site.

Claim 3

A composition of material according to claim 1 wherein said fibers are carbon fibers.

Claim 4

A composition of material according to claim 1 wherein the porosity of said structure includes both spheroidal and dendritic spaces.

Claim 5

A composition of material according to claim 1, including a wear material bonded to one surface of said structure.

Claim 6

A composition of material according to claim 4 wherein said wear material comprises carbon fibers, and polytetrafluoroethylene resin sintered with said carbon fibers to retain said fibers with respect to each other.

Claim 7

A composiiton of material according to claim 1 wherein said fibers are carbonaceous fibers.

Claim 8

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, said fibers being carbonaceous fibers, and said bonding means including polytetrafluoroethylene resin and fibers.

Claim 9

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, said fibers being carbonaceous fibers, and said bonding means including polytetrafluoroethylene resin and fibers.

Claim 10

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, said fibers being selected from a group consisting of carbonaceous fibers, stainless steel fibers, silicone carbide whiskers, aluminum oxide whiskers and zirconia fibers, said bonding means including polytetrafluoroethylene fibers.

Claim 11

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, said fibers being selected from a group consisting of carbonaceous fibers, stainless steel fibers, silicone carbide whiskers, aluminum oxide whiskers and zirconia fibers, said bonding means including polytetrafluoroethylene fibers.

Claim 12

A composition according to claim 8 wherein the porosity of the bonded structure includes both dendritic and spheroidal voids which are interconnected.

Claim 13

A composition according to claim 8 wherein the bonded structure has at least 60 percent void space.

Claim 14

A composition according to claim 8 wherein said bonding means is polytetrafluoroethylene.

Claim 15

A composition according to claim 8 including a bonding resin bonded to one surface of said structure, said bonding resin being suitable for bonding said structure to other resin structures and to metal.

Claim 16

A composition according to claim 8 including a leachable substance in said structure except at the surface to which said bonding resin is bonded so that when leached out of said structure the desired porosity is provided.

Claim 17

A composition of material according to claim 1 including a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluble material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure.

Claim 18

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble sodium chloride included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said sodium chloride define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure.

Claim 19

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble sodium chloride included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said sodium chloride define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure.

Claim 20

A composition of material according to claim 15 wherein said sodium chloride is reagent grade crystals having a size from 10 to 600 microns.

Claim 21

A composition of material according to claim 14 including one surface of said structure being free of said soluble material and having a bonding material bonded thereto.

Claim 22

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluable material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure, one surface of said structure is free of said soluble material and having a fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer bonding material bonded thereto.

Claim 23

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluable material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure, one surface of said structure is free of said soluble material and having a fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer bonding material bonded thereto.

Claim 24

A composition of material suitable for an in vivo implantation comprising a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluble material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure, said structure includes carbon fibers in the range from 4 to 20 percent by volume, polytetrafluoroethylene fibers in the range from 4 to 10 percent by volume, polytetrafluoroethylene fibers in the range from 2 to 10 percent by volume, and said soluble material in the range from 60 to 90 percent by volume.

Claim 25

A composition of material suitable for an in vivo implantation comprising a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluble material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure, said structure includes carbon fibers in the range from 4 to 20 percent by volume, polytetrafluoroethylene fibers in the range from 4 to 10 percent by volume, polytetrafluoroethylene fibers in the range from 2 to 10 percent by volume, and said soluble material in the range from 60 to 90 percent by volume.

Claim 26

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluable material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure, and wherein said structure includes ten percent by volume carbon fibers, six percent by volume resin fibers, four percent by volume resin particles, and eighty percent by volume soluble material.

Claim 27

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising, a fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, a soluble material included in said structure so that when leached therefrom the spaces occupied by said soluable material define at least a substantial portion of the porosity of said structure, and wherein said structure includes ten percent by volume carbon fibers, six percent by volume resin fibers, four percent by volume resin particles, and eighty percent by volume soluble material.

Claim 28

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation and adapted to promote ingrowth of tissue, comprising a plurality of resin fibers, a plurality of carbon fibers, and said resin fibers bonding said carbon fibers into a structure having substantial porosity, said resin fibers and carbon fibers being biocompatible, the bond of said resin being at relatively small points whereby substantial portions of the surface of said carbon fibers are exposed.

Claim 29

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation and adapted to promote ingrowth of tissue, comprising a plurality of resin fibers, a plurality of carbon fibers, and said resin fibers bonding said carbon fibers into a structure having substantial porosity, said resin fibers and carbon fibers being biocompatible, the bond of said resin being at relatively small points whereby substantial portions of the surface of said carbon fibers are exposed.

Claim 30

An appliance for implantation comprising a high strength fabric encapsulated within an elongated element of fluorinated ethylenepropylene polymer, and a composition of material according to claim 1 bonded to each end of elongated element.

Claim 31

An appliance for implantation comprising a metal element, and a composition of material according to claim 1 bonded thereto.

Claim 32

An appliance according to claim 23 wherein said composition is bonded to said metal element by means of a bonding material.

Claim 33

An appliance according to claim 24 wherein said bonding material is a fluorinated ethylenepropylene polymer.

Claim 34

An appliance according to claim 23 wherein said composition includes a wear material bonded to the outer surface thereof.

Claim 35

An appliance according to claim 26 wherein said wear material comprises carbon fibers and polytetrafluoroethylene resin sintered with said carbon fibers to retain said fibers with respect to each other.

Claim 38

The method of stabilizing an orthopedic appliance which comprises bonding a composition according to claim 12 to the fixation portion of said appliance.

Claim 39

The method according to claim 29 wherein the bonding resin of said composition is a fluorinated ethylenepropylene polymer.

Claim 40

The method of stabilizing a dental implant which comprises bonding a composition according to claim 12 to said implant.

Claim 41

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said fibers are selected from a group consisting of carbonaceous fibers, stainless steel fibers, silicone carbide whiskers, aluminum oxide whiskers and zirconia fibers.

Claim 42

A composition according to claim 1 wherein said bonding means is selected from the group of a perfluorinated polymer, a polyethylene, a polyester and a polyaramide.

Claim 43

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising a resilient, fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, said structure having sufficient resiliency and distensibility when implanted to develop the type of ingrowth tissue needed at the implant location responsive to the mechanical forces at the implant site, said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, and said fibers are carbonaceous material and said bonding means includes one of a perfluorinated polymer, polyethylene and a polyester.

Claim 44

A composition of material suitable for in vivo implantation comprising a resilient, fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, said structure having sufficient resiliency and distensibility when implanted to develop the type of ingrowth tissue needed at the implant location responsive to the mechanical forces at the implant site, said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, and said fibers are carbonaceous material and said bonding means includes one of a perfluorinated polymer, polyethylene and a polyester.

Claim 45

A composition of material comprising a resilient, fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, said structure having a porosity in the range from 60 to 90 percent of the volume of said structure.

Claim 46

A composition of material comprising a resilient, fibrous, porous structure, at least a portion of the fibers of said structure having a critical surface tension above 35 dynes per centimeter on a scale extending from 20 to 80 dynes per centimeter, said structure including means for bonding said fibers into the porous structure having substantial interconnected spaces between the fibers, and said fibers and said bonding means both being biocompatible, said structure having a porosity in the range from 60 to 90 percent of the volume of said structure.