Prosthetic device for cartilage repair

• US 8,163,033 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2004
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr. H.C. Robert Mathys Stifung
• Original Assignee: Dr. H.C. Robert Mathys Stifung
• Inventors: Luginbuehl, Reto
• Primary Examiner(s): Snow, Bruce E
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOBAN, MELISSA A
• Application Number:
  US10/561,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20070244484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,868 Days
• Field of Search: 623/23.72, 623/14.12
• US Class Current: 623/23.72
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30756 Cartilage endoprostheses A61F2/3603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30965 Reinforcing the prosthesis by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/32 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3804 for elbows
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30004 the prosthesis being made from materials having different values of a given property at different locations within the same prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30205 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30224 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30971 Laminates, i.e. layered products
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0014 having different values of a given property or geometrical feature, e.g. mechanical property or material property, at different locations within the same prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3654 Cartilage, e.g. meniscus
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3808 Endothelial cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3813 Epithelial cells, e.g. keratinocytes, urothelial cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3834 : Cells able to produce different cell types, e.g. hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, marrow stromal cells, embryonic stem cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3852 : Cartilage, e.g. meniscus
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/46 : with phosphorus-containing inorganic fillers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 : Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges

Abstract

A prosthetic device for repairing or replacing cartilage or cartilage-like tissue is described. The prosthetic device comprises at least one layer of highly oriented fibers, a base component and a stabilization area provided in between. Said fibers are aligned to more than 50% in a direction perpendicular to the base component.

Claims

1. A prosthetic device for repairing or replacing cartilage or cartilage tissue (1) comprising:

at least one layer consisting of at least partially oriented fibers (2),

a base component (4) to anchor said at least one layer consisting of at least partially oriented fibers (2) in subchondral environment, and

a stabilization area (3) provided between said at least one layer consisting of at least partially oriented fibers (2) and said base component (4),

wherein said at least partially oriented fibers (2) are aligned essentially in parallel to the insertion axis of the prosthetic device that is in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said base component and the at least one layer consisting of at least partially oriented fibers (2) form a brush-like structure,

wherein more than 50% of said at least partially oriented fibers are aligned essentially in parallel to the insertion axis of the device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the material of the at least partially oriented fibers (2) includes a mineral material, synthetic polymers or molecules, natural polymers or molecules, biotechnologically derived polymers or molecules, biomacromolecules, or any combination thereof.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of the at least partially oriented fibers (2) is in a range of 50 nm to 1 mm.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said fiber diameter is in a range of 1 μ

m to 250 μ

m.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the at least partially oriented fibers (2) have a liquid absorbing capacity in a range of 0.1% to 99.9%.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said liquid absorbing capacity is in a range of 20.0% to 99.0%.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the liquid is an aqueous solution and/or body fluids.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base component (4) comprises a material used as a bone substitute.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said bone substitute is a mineral material, synthetic polymers or molecules, natural polymers or molecules, biotechnologically derived polymers or molecules, biomacromolecules, or any combination thereof.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein said material is a synthetic ceramic containing at least one of the following components:

calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, or any mixture thereof.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said calcium phosphate contains at least one of the following components:

di-calciumphosphatedihydrate (CaHP0.sub.4.times.2H.sub.20), dicalciumphosphate (CaHP0.sub.4), alpha-tricalciumphosphate (alpha-Ca.sub.3(P0.sub.4).sub.2), beta-tricalciumphosphate (betaCa.sub.3(P0.sub.4).sub.2), calcium deficient hydroxylapatite (Ca.sub.9(P0.sub.4).sub.5(HP0.sub.4)OH), hydroxylapatite (Ca.sub.10(P0.sub.4).sub.6OH.sub.2), carbonated apatite (Ca.sub.10(P0.sub.4).sub.3(C0.sub.3).sub.3) (OH).sub.2) fluorapatite (Ca.sub.10(P0.sub.4).sub.6(F,OH).sub.2), chlorapatite (Ca.sub.10(P0.sub.4).sub.6(Cl,OH).sub.2), whitlockite ((Ca,Mg).sub.3(P0.sub.4).sub.2), tetracalciumphosphate (Ca.sub.4(P0.sub.4).sub.20), oxyapatite (Ca.sub.10(P0.sub.4).sub.60), beta-calciumpyrophosphate (beta-Ca.sub.2(P.sub.20.sub.7), alpha-calciumpyrophosphate, gamma-calcium-pyrophosphate, octacalciumphosphate (Ca.sub.8H.sub.2 (P0.sub.4).sub.6.times.5H.sub.20).

12. The device according to claim 8, wherein said material is a synthetic ceramic containing metallic, semimetallic ions, and/or non-metallic ions, preferably magnesium, silicon, sodium, potassium, and/or lithium.

13. The device according to claim 8, wherein the material is a composite material comprising at least a polymer component and a mineral phase.

14. The device according to claim 8, wherein the bone substitute material is highly porous with interconnecting pores.

15. The device according to claim 8, wherein the shape of the base component (4) is round, cylindrical, or conical.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the diameter of the base component (4) ranges between 2 and 30 mm, with a height being 1 to 30 mm.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the diameter of the base component (4) ranges between 4 and 20 mm, with a preferred height being between 1 to 6 mm.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein said stabilization area (3) is a zone comprising at least one layer.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein said zone has a thickness of 1 nm to 1 mm.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein said zone is porous.

21. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one externally added component.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein said component is cells of different origin.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein said cells are autologous cells, allogenous cells, xenogenous cells, transfected cells and/or genetically engineered cells.

24. The device according to claim 21, wherein chondrocytes, chondral progenitor cells, pluripotent cells, tutipotent cells or combinations thereof are present throughout the fiber layer(s) (2).

25. The device according to claim 21, wherein osteoplasts, osteo progenitor cells, pluripotent cells, tutipotent cells or combinations thereof are present throughout the base component (4).

26. The device according to claim 21, wherein blood or any fraction thereof is present throughout the base component (4).

27. The device according to claim 21, wherein pharmaceutical compounds are contained.

28. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is adapted to be implanted in articulating joints in humans and animals.

29. The device according to claim 28 wherein the device regenerates articulator cartilagenous tissue.

30. The device according to claim 1, wherein more than 90% of said at least partially oriented fibers (2) are aligned essentially in parallel to the insertion axis of the device that is in a direction perpendicular to a top surface of said base component.

31. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stabilization area (3) is an absolute or selective cell barrier layer for preventing cells and blood from diffusing from the base component (4) into the brush-like fiber structure.

32. The device according to claim 5, wherein the at least partially oriented fibers (2) are designed to form a gel or transform to a gel-like state when absorbing liquid.