Bone implant and systems that controllably releases silver

• US 9,889,284 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silver Bullet Therapeutics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silver Bullet Therapeutics, Inc.
• Inventors: Dehnad, Houdin, Chopko, Bohdan Wolodymyr, Chirico, Paul E., McCormick, Robert Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): WOODALL, NICHOLAS W
• Application Number:
  US14/801,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20150320989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/686 Plugs, i.e. elements forming interface between bone hole and implant or fastener, e.g. screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7266 with fingers moving radially outwardly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/80 Cortical plates , i.e. bone plates; Instruments for holding or positioning cortical plates, or for compressing bones attached to cortical plates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8625 Shanks, i.e. parts contacting bone tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/863 with thread interrupted or changing its form along shank, other than constant taper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/864 hollow, e.g. with socket or cannulated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8685 comprising multiple separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/869 characterised by an open form, e.g. wire helix
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00889 antimicrobial, disinfectant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/561 Implants with special means for releasing a drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/06 Implements for therapeutic treatment radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0012 characterised by the material or composition, e.g. ceramics, surface layer, metal alloy use of specific materials A61K6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0018 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/30 Zinc; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/38 Silver; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/306 Arrangements where at least part of the apparatus is introduced into the body

Abstract

Silver and/or zinc ion releasing implants, systems and method of operating, inserting and activating/inactivating them are described. In some variations the implant is configured as a bone implant that includes a bone-screw or intramedullary rod like body configured to receive a treatment cartridge having a plurality of ion-releasing members configured as an anode that can controllably engage with a catheter to turn galvanic release of ions on/off as desired. These devices may be configured to release silver ions (and/or zinc ions) above a predetermined level for a predetermined period of time and may maintain a concentration of ions over a relatively large volume of tissue. The ion-releasing members may be configured to reduce or prevent implant movement.

Claims

1. A method of controllably delivering silver, zinc, or silver and zinc ions from an implant to prevent or treat infection, the method comprising:

engaging the implant with a removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge, wherein the treatment cartridge comprises a silver, zinc, or silver and zinc anode, and wherein the implant includes a cathode comprising a material having a higher half-cell potential than the anode, further wherein the cathode has a greater active surface area than the active surface area of the anode; and

activating a control to initiate the galvanic release of silver, zinc or silver and zinc from the treatment cartridge,

wherein engaging comprises mating the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge with a channel in the implant having an opening so that the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge extends through the opening in the implant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein engaging the implant comprises coupling the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge with the implant when the implant is already inserted into a patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing at least a portion of the cathode in communication with a source of oxygen at a concentration of greater than 7×

10<sup>−

5</sup> mol/L.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the implant into a patient'"'"'s body.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting the implant into a bone.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising screwing the implant into a subject'"'"'s bone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein activating comprises inserting the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge into the implant so that the cathode is in electrical contact with the anode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein engaging the implant comprises engaging a bone-screw implant having a threaded out screw region with the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein engaging the implant comprises extending a plurality of silver, zinc, or silver and zinc release members forming the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge from openings in the implant body.

10. A method of controllably delivering silver, zinc, or silver and zinc ions from an implant, to prevent or treat infection, the method comprising:

engaging the implant with a removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge, wherein the treatment cartridge comprises a silver, zinc, or silver and zinc anode, and wherein the implant includes a cathode comprising a material having a higher half-cell potential than the anode; and

initiating the galvanic release of silver, zinc or silver and zinc from the treatment cartridge by placing the cathode in electrical contact with the anode,

wherein the implant comprises a threaded outer screw region.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein engaging the implant with the removable treatment cartridge comprises coupling the treatment cartridge with the implant when the implant is already inserted into a patient.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein engaging the implant with the removable treatment cartridge comprises coupling the treatment cartridge with the implant before the implant is inserted into a patient.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising inserting the implant into a patient'"'"'s body.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising inserting the implant into a bone.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein activating comprises inserting the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge into the implant so that the cathode is in electrical contact with the anode.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein engaging comprises mating the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge with a channel in the implant so that the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge extends through an opening in the implant.

17. A method of controllably delivering silver, zinc, or silver and zinc ions from an implant, to prevent or treat infection, the method comprising:

engaging the implant with a removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge, wherein the treatment cartridge comprises a silver, zinc, or silver and zinc anode, and wherein the implant includes a cathode comprising a material having a higher half-cell potential than the anode;

extending a plurality of silver, zinc, or silver and zinc release members forming the removable silver, zinc or silver and zinc releasing treatment cartridge from openings in the implant body; and

initiating the galvanic release of silver, zinc or silver and zinc from the treatment cartridge by placing the cathode in electrical contact with the anode,

wherein the implant comprises a threaded outer screw region configured for insertion into a bone.