Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A biodegradable device for facilitating healing of structural voids in bone, cartilage as well as soft tissue comprising, in combination: a. a porous macrostructure, formed from a biodegradable polymer, providing a porous architecture as well as structural and mechanical integrity to the structural void being treated, with the porous macrostructure including interconnecting voids; and b. a porous microstructure, formed from a chemotactic ground substance and located in the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure and carried by and separate from the biodegradable polymer forming the porous macrostructure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A biodegradable device for facilitating healing of structural voids in bone, cartilage as well as soft tissue comprising, in combination: a. a porous macrostructure, formed from a biodegradable polymer, providing a porous architecture as well as structural and mechanical integrity to the structural void being treated, with the porous macrostructure including interconnecting voids; and b. a porous microstructure, formed from a chemotactic ground substance and located in the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure and carried by and separate from the biodegradable polymer forming the porous macrostructure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The device of claim 1 further comprising, in combination: at least one biologically active agent carried at a location selected from the group consisting of in the porous macrostructure formed by the biodegradable polymer, in the porous microstructure formed by the chemotactic ground substance, and between the porous macrostructure and the porous microstructure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said chemotactic ground substance is selected from the group consisting of compounds of glycoproteins and compounds of glycosaminoglycans.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure are defined by the biodegradable polymer formed into incomplete partitions having exposed surfaces, wherein said biologically active agent is incorporated into the macrostructural polymer, thus residing in part on the exposed surfaces of the incomplete partitions and in part within the incomplete partitions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure are defined by the biodegradable polymer formed into incomplete partitions having surfaces, wherein said biologically active agent is adhered to the macrostructural polymer and resides exclusively on the surfaces of the incomplete partitions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said biologically active agent is incorporated into the chemotactic ground substance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the porous microstructure includes voids having interstices, and wherein said biologically active agent is carried by entrapment in the interstices of the porous microstructure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure are defined by the biodegradable polymer formed into incomplete partitions, wherein said biologically active agent is carried by entrapment between the incomplete partitions and the porous microstructure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said biodegradable polymer is selected from the group consisting of a homogeneous poly(hydroxy) acid and a copolymer of at least two poly(hydroxy) acids.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 2 in which the biologically active agent is osteoinductive and osteogenic agents selected from the consisting of bone morphogenetic proteins and bone derived growth factor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said device is in the form of a bone substitute.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said device is in the form of a cartilage substitute.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said device is in the form of a soft tissue substitute.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said chemotactic ground substance is derived from the group consisting of compounds of glycoproteins and compounds of glycosaminoglycans.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 14 in which the chemotactic ground substance microstructure is selected from the group consisting of glycosamino glycans, glycoproteins, lamin and type IV collagen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the biodegradable polymer is preformed into the porous macrostructure prior to the introduction of the chemotactic ground substance.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
64 words
The device of claim 16 wherein the chemotactic ground substance is selected from the group consisting of a velour, felting and loosely woven sheet, prior to the introduction of the chemotactic ground substance into the porous macrostructure, wherein said velour, felting, or loosely woven sheet are adhered to the preformed porous macrostructure of the biodegradable polymer within the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 16 wherein the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure are randomly shaped, sized and positioned in the porous macrostructure, with the interconnecting voids of the porous macrostructure being formed by incomplete partitions of the biodegradable polymer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
The device of claim 18 in which the chemotactic ground substance is in a form selected from the group consisting of: a. a solid sheet adhered to the preformed incomplete partitions of the biodegradable polymer; b. an open laced network of strands adhered to the preformed biodegradable polymer incomplete partitions; c. a velour, felting or loosely woven sheet adhered to the preformed biodegradable polymer incomplete partitions; and, d. an open cell meshwork mass that is carried within the interconnected voids of the porous macrostructure and is only incidentally adhered to the preformed biodegradable polymer incomplete partitions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said biodegradable polymer is selected from the group consisting of a homogeneous poly(hydroxy) acid and a copolymer of at least two poly(hydroxy) acids.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 2o wherein said biodegradable polymer is selected from the group consisting of D,L-polylactic acid, L-polylactic acid, glycolic acid and co-polymers thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said device is a carrier for at least one of the group consisting of drugs, biological modifiers, proteins, and angigens.