Drug delivery implants

Abstract

An orthopaedic implant system includes an orthopaedic implant implantable at a selected location within a corporeal body and configured for delivering at least one therapeutic agent to the corporeal body. The implant includes a reservoir and a plurality of channels. The reservoir is configured for receiving the at least one therapeutic agent. The plurality of channels are configured for conveying the at least one therapeutic agent from the reservoir to a treatment site relative to the corporeal body.

1 . An orthopaedic implant system, comprising:
 an orthopaedic implant implantable at a selected location within a corporeal body and configured for delivering at least one therapeutic agent to said corporeal body, said implant including a reservoir and a plurality of channels, said reservoir configured for receiving said at least one therapeutic agent, said plurality of channels configured for conveying said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to a treatment site relative to said corporeal body.   
   
   
       2 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 1 , wherein said implant is one of a prosthesis, a nail, a plate, and an external fixation device with an implantable pin. 
   
   
       3 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 2 , wherein said implant includes a body implantable at said selected location, said body defining said reservoir and said plurality of channels and including an exterior surface, said plurality of channels fluidly communicating said reservoir with said exterior surface and thereby being configured for conveying said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to said exterior surface. 
   
   
       4 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 3 , further including a porous surface attached to said exterior surface, said porous surface configured for receiving at least one of bone and tissue ingrowth therein, said porous surface including a first side attached to said exterior surface and a second side opposing said first side, said porous surface including a through-hole running from said first side to said second side, said through-hole configured for communicating said at least one therapeutic agent from said first side to said second side and thereby for communicating said at least one therapeutic agent to said treatment site. 
   
   
       5 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 4 , further including a surface channel defined by said exterior surface, said surface channel being in communication with and cooperating with one said channel and said through-hole to provide said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to said treatment site. 
   
   
       6 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of said channels is a sub-surface channel, said sub-surface channel and said through-hole being aligned with and cooperating with one another to provide said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to said treatment site. 
   
   
       7 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 3 , further including at least one of a second reservoir, a pump, and a port implantable in said corporeal body remote from said implant and connected to said reservoir of said implant by at least one catheter implantable in said corporeal body and thereby configured for delivering said at least one therapeutic agent to said treatment site via said implant. 
   
   
       8 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 3 , further including at least one of a second reservoir, a pump, and a port not implantable in said corporeal body but which is connected to said reservoir of said implant by at least one transcutaneous catheter and which is thereby configured for delivering said at least one therapeutic agent to said treatment site via said implant. 
   
   
       9 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 3 , further including a cartridge inserted into said reservoir, said cartridge containing said at least one therapeutic agent and being configured for releasing said at least one therapeutic agent into at least one of said reservoir and at least one of said channels such that said at least one therapeutic agent moves away from said reservoir in said at least one channel, said cartridge being removable from said reservoir and replaceable with another cartridge after said implant has been implanted in said corporeal body. 
   
   
       10 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 3 , further including a spongy element, said reservoir containing said spongy element. 
   
   
       11 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 3 , wherein said body of said implant is one of partially porous and completely porous. 
   
   
       12 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 2 , wherein said external fixation device includes said implantable pin, a sheath coupled with said pin, and said reservoir coupled with said sheath, said pin defining said plurality of channels. 
   
   
       13 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 2 , wherein said implant includes only one said reservoir. 
   
   
       14 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 2 , wherein said reservoir is configured for being refilled with said at least one therapeutic agent after said implant has been implanted in said corporeal body. 
   
   
       15 . The orthopaedic implant system of  claim 2 , wherein said implant is configured for delivering a plurality of therapeutic agents to said corporeal body via said reservoir and said plurality of channels. 
   
   
       16 . A method of using an orthopaedic implant system, said method comprising the steps of:
 implanting an orthopaedic implant at a selected location within a corporeal body, said implant including a reservoir and a plurality of channels;   receiving at least one therapeutic agent in said reservoir;   conveying said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to a treatment site relative to said corporeal body via said plurality of channels; and   delivering said at least one therapeutic agent to said corporeal body.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said implant is one of a prosthesis, a nail, a plate, and an external fixation device with an implanted pin. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said implant includes a body which is implanted at said selected location, said body defining said reservoir and said plurality of channels and including an exterior surface, said plurality of channels fluidly communicating said reservoir with said exterior surface and thereby conveying said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to said exterior surface. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including attaching a porous surface to said exterior surface, said porous surface receiving at least one of bone and tissue ingrowth therein, said porous surface including a first side attached to said exterior surface and a second side opposing said first side, said porous surface including a through-hole running from said first side to said second side, said through-hole communicating said at least one therapeutic agent from said first side to said second side and thereby communicating said at least one therapeutic agent to said treatment site. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a surface channel is defined by said exterior surface, said surface channel being in communication with and cooperating with one said channel and said through-hole and thereby providing said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to said treatment site. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of said channels is a sub-surface channel, said sub-surface channel and said through-hole being aligned with and cooperating with one another and thereby providing said at least one therapeutic agent from said reservoir to said treatment site. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , further including implanting at least one of a second reservoir, a pump, and a port in said corporeal body remote from said implant, connecting at least one of said second reservoir, said pump, and said port to said reservoir of said implant by at least one catheter implanted in said corporeal body, and delivering said at least one therapeutic agent to said treatment site via said implant, said catheter, and at least one of said second reservoir, said pump, and said port. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , further including providing at least one of a second reservoir, a pump, and a port which is not implanted in said corporeal body, connecting at least one of said second reservoir, said pump, and said port to said reservoir of said implant by at least one transcutaneous catheter, and delivering said at least one therapeutic agent to said treatment site via said implant, said catheter, and at least one of said second reservoir, said pump, and said port. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , further including inserting a cartridge into said reservoir, said cartridge containing said at least one therapeutic agent and releasing said at least one therapeutic agent into at least one of said reservoir and at least one of said channels such that said at least one therapeutic agent moves away from said reservoir in said at least one channel, removing said cartridge from said reservoir after said implant has been implanted in said corporeal body, and replacing said cartridge with another cartridge after said implant has been implanted in said corporeal body. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18 , further including providing a spongy element, said reservoir containing said spongy element. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said body of said implant is one of partially porous and completely porous. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said external fixation device includes said implantable pin, a sheath coupled with said pin, and said reservoir coupled with said sheath, said pin defining said plurality of channels. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said implant includes only one said reservoir. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 17 , further including refilling said reservoir with said at least one therapeutic agent after said implant has been implanted in said corporeal body. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 17 , further including delivering a plurality of therapeutic agents to said corporeal body via said reservoir and said plurality of channels of said implant. 
   
   
       31 . An orthopaedic implant system, comprising:
 an orthopaedic implant including a body implantable at a selected location within a corporeal body and configured for delivering a therapeutic agent to said corporeal body, said body including an exterior surface defining a plurality of surface channels and having an absence of a therapeutic agent reservoir, said plurality of surface channels configured for receiving, holding, delivering, and being refilled with said therapeutic agent after said implant has been implanted in said corporeal body; and   a porous surface attached to said exterior surface, said porous surface configured for receiving at least one of bone and tissue ingrowth therein, said porous surface including a first side attached to said exterior surface and a second side opposing said first side, said porous surface including a plurality of through-holes running from said first side to said second side, said plurality of surface channels communicating and cooperating with said plurality of through-holes to provide said therapeutic agent from said plurality of surface channels to said first side of said porous surface and to said second side of said porous surface.   
   
   
       32 . The therapeutic agent delivery system of  claim 31  wherein said implant is one of a prosthesis, a nail, a plate, and an external fixation device with an implantable pin.