Two-part orthopedic fastener

• US 6,666,868 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medicinelodge, Inc (Nelso Antolotti)
• Original Assignee: Medicinelodge, Inc (Nelso Antolotti)
• Inventors: Fallin, T. Wade
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Priddy, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US09/798,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 606/72, 606/73, 606/76, 606/77, 411/900, 411/904, 433/173
• US Class Current: 606/331
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/864 hollow, e.g. with socket or cannulated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/866 Material or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8685 comprising multiple separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004

Abstract

The present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel orthopedic fastener. The novel orthopedic fastener comprises a body portion adapted to extend substantially below the surface of a bone, and a head portion adapted to extend substantially above the surface of the bone, wherein the body portion is formed of a first material and the head portion is formed of a second material. In one preferred form of the invention, the first material comprises a bioabsorbable material which is bioactive so as to encourage tissue in-growth, and the second material comprises a bioabsorbable material which is not bioactive so as to not encourage tissue in-growth.

Claims

1. An orthopedic fastener for the repair of musculoskeletal structures, the fastener comprising:

a body portion adapted to extend substantially below the surface of a bone; and

a head portion adapted to extend substantially above the surface of the bone;

wherein said body portion is formed of a first material and said head portion is formed of a second material;

wherein said first material comprises a bioabsorbable material which is bioactive so as to encourage tissue in-growth; and

wherein said second material comprises a bioabsorbable material which is not bioactive so as to not encourage tissue in-growth.

2. An orthopedic fastener according to claim 1, wherein said body portion is formed out of bone.

3. An orthopedic fastener according to claim 2 wherein said body portion is formed out of allograft bone.

4. An orthopedic fastener according to claim 1 wherein said body portion is formed out of a bioceramic.

5. An orthopedic fastener according to claim 4 wherein said bioceramic is osteoconductive and osteoinductive.

6. An orthopedic fastener according to claim 5 wherein said bioceramic is chosen from the group consisting of Bioglass®

(USBiomaterials Corp., Alachua, Fla.);

Ceravital®

, an apatite-glass composite (E. Leitz Wetzlar GmBh, Wetzlar, Germany);

Cerabone®

, an apatite and beta-Wollastonite, glass composite (Japan);

Bioverit®

, an apatite and phlogopite glass composite (Germany);

sintered hydroxyapitite sintered tricalcium phosphate; and

composites thereof.

7. An orthopedic fastener according to claim 1 wherein said head portion is formed from a material chosen from the group consisting of aliphatic polyesters of poly(lactide), poly(glycolide), poly(trimethylene carbonate), poly(p-dioxanone) poly(ε

-caprolactone), and copolymers thereof.

8. An orthopedic fastener according to claim 1 wherein said head portion is formed from a material chosen from the group consisting of poly(phosphoesters) and the poly (anhydrides).