POROUS METAL IMPLANTS MADE FROM CUSTOM MANUFACTURED SUBSTRATES

• US 20140010951A1
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zimmer Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vargas, Joseph R., Seelman, Steven, Uzuyem, Emmanuel L., Zitelli, Joseph P.
• Application Number:
  US13/926,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20140010951A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/2.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/34 Acetabular cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3092 having an open-celled or open-pored structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30962 using stereolithography
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30985 using three dimensional printing [3DP]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00544 Coating made of tantalum or Ta-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/045 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/06 characterised by the deposition of metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/08 from metal halides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4488 by in situ generation of reactive gas by chemical or electrochemical reaction

Abstract

A porous metal implant and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method involves rapidly manufacturing a porous substrate layer-by-layer. The method can include the steps of depositing a first layer of a material and depositing a second layer of the material on top of the first layer. In this manner, a porous substrate having a plurality of ligaments or struts, which define a plurality of pores, can be built. The method can also include coating the porous substrate with a biocompatible metal to strengthen and stabilize the porous substrate for implantation.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a porous implant, comprising:

depositing a first layer of material;

depositing a second layer of material on top of the first layer of material to build a porous substrate with a plurality of ligaments that define pores, the first and second layers of material cooperating to form at least one of the plurality of ligaments of the porous substrate; and

coating the plurality of ligaments of the porous substrate with a biocompatible metal coating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second layers of material are deposited with the material in a powdered state, the method further comprising converting the material from the powdered state to a solid state.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising applying an energy source to the second layer of material to couple the second layer of material to the first layer of material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein coating the plurality of ligaments comprises performing a chemical vapor deposition process.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the first and second layers of material to harden before coating.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second layers of material in the porous substrate comprise titanium or a titanium alloy and the biocompatible metal coating comprises tantalum or a tantalum alloy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second layers of material comprise a metal different from the biocompatible metal coating.

8. The method of claims 1, wherein depositing the first and second layers of material includes building the porous substrate in a net shape that is suitable for implantation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the porous substrate has a porosity of at least about 55%.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the porous substrate has an average pore size between about 100 μ

m and about 1,000 μ

m.