Prosthetic devices having sintered thermoplastic coatings with a porosity gradient

Claim 1

A prosthetic device comprised of a load bearing functional component and, over at least a portion thereof, a porous coating of a bioengineering thermoplastic material which is compatible with, and conducive for, the ingrowth of bone spicules, said material being selected from the group consisting of polysulfones, polyphenylenesulfides, polyacetals, thermoplastic polyesters, polycarbonates, aromatic polyamides, aromatic polyamideimides, thermoplastic polyimides, polyaryletherketones, polyarylethernitriles and aromatic polyhydroxyethers, and having the following properties: (a) a substantial portion of the coating having an average pore diameter of from about 90 to about 600 microns; (b) pore interconnections having average diameters of greater than about 50 microns, (c) a modulus of elasticity from about 250,000 to about 500,000 pounds per square inch for non-reinforced, solid non-porous thermoplastic material, and from about 500,000 to about 3,000,000 pounds per square inch for reinforced, solid non-porous thermoplastic material; (d) a total porosity of greater than about 20 percent and distributed such that a porosity gradient exists across the coating with the smallest pores on the side of the coating which contacts said load bearing functional component and the largest pores on the outer surface of the coating, and (e) a total creep strain of the non-reinforced, solid, non-porous thermoplastic material of less than one percent at a constant stress of 1,000 pounds per square inch at ambient temperature, all of the properties being sufficient to enable stresses applied on the musculoskeletal system to be transferred to bone spicules within the pores of the material and maintain sufficient load and pore stability to promote irreversible ossification.