Surgical implant containing a resorbable radiopaque marker and method of locating such within a body

• US 5,676,146 A
• Filed: 09/13/1996
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Osteotech Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Scarborough, Nelson L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US08/713,694
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 623/11, 623/16, 623/18, 623/66, 606/77, 128/653.1, 128/654
• US Class Current: 600/431
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/583 using calibration phantoms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30059 differing in bone mineralization, e.g. made from both mineralized and demineralized adjacent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3008 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30242 spherical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30263 cubical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30291 spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0019 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0071 spherical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0084 cubical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof

Abstract

A surgical implant containing a resorbable radiopaque marker enables the position and/or orientation of the implant to be readily determined by x-ray or other radiographic technique following its surgical implantation in the body.

Claims

1. A surgical implant for surgical implantation in the body, the implant being fabricated from radiolucent material and possessing a resorbable radiopaque marker.

2. The implant of claim 1 wherein the radiolucent material is resorbable.

3. The implant of claim 2 wherein the resorbable material is demineralized bone or collagen.

4. The implant of claim 2 wherein the resorbable material is a flexible sheet of demineralized bone.

5. The implant of claim 1 which possesses a definite geometrical configuration.

6. The implant of claim 1 wherein the resorbable radiopaque marker comprises nondemineralized or partially demineralized bone particles.

7. The implant of claim 6 wherein the nondemineralized or partially demineralized bone particles are selected from the group consisting of human and animal bone.

8. The implant of claim 6 wherein the nondemineralized or partially demineralized bone particles are of a predetermined shape selected from the group consisting of spherical, quasi-spherical, cuboid, tube, fiber, spiral and rectangular.

9. The implant of claim 6 wherein the partially demineralized bone particles contain not less than about 20 weight percent residual inorganic matter.

10. The implant of claim 1 wherein the resorbable radiopaque marker is a calcium-based mineral selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, fluorapatite and their mixtures.

11. The implant of claim 1 wherein the resorbable radiopaque marker is arranged within the implant in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

12. The implant of claim 11 wherein the predetermined pattern is a grid.

13. A method of determining the location and/or orientation of a surgical implant within a body which comprises:

a) surgically implanting within a body an implant fabricated from radiolucent material containing a resorbable radiopaque marker; and

,

b) post-surgically determining the location and/or orientation of the implant by a radiographic technique.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein radiolucent material is resorbable.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the radiographic technique is x-ray imaging.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the radiopaque marker is arranged within the implant in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the predetermined pattern is a grid.