Laser Based Metal Deposition LBMD of Antimicrobials to Implant Surfaces

Abstract

A method is provided for depositing a hard wear resistant surface onto a porous or non-porous base material of a medical implant. The wear resistant surface of the medical implant device may be formed by a Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) method such as Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS). The wear resistant surface may include a blend of multiple different biocompatible materials. Further, functionally graded layers of biocompatible materials may be used to form the wear resistant surface. Usage of a porous material for the base may promote bone ingrowth to allow the implant to fuse strongly with the bone of a host patient. The hard wear resistant surface provides device longevity, particularly when applied to bearing surfaces such as artificial joint bearing surfaces or a dental implant bearing surfaces. An antimicrobial material such as silver may be deposited in combination with a metal to form an antimicrobial surface deposit.

1 . A biomedical implant comprising:
 a metal base structure; and   a deposit formed onto the metal base structure in functionally graded layers, the deposit comprising an antimicrobial material and a first metal, wherein the outermost layers possess the most potent antimicrobial properties, wherein depositing the deposit is accomplished in an inert gas atmosphere.   
     
     
         2 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial material comprises at least one of elemental silver, gold, platinum, palladium, iridium, copper, tin, antimony, bismuth, zinc, salts thereof, or intermetallics thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 1 , wherein the first metal comprises at least one of cobalt-chrome, tantalum, titanium, platinum, zirconium, niobium, stainless steel, or alloys thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 1 , wherein the deposit has a thickness greater than 25 microns. 
     
     
         5 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 1 , wherein the deposit is further modified by a process selected from the group consisting of annealing, etching in acid, etching in base, and oxygen plasma. 
     
     
         6 . A method for constructing a biomedical implant, the method comprising:
 a metal base structure; and   a deposit formed onto the metal base structure by Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) in an inert gas atmosphere, wherein the deposit comprises an antimicrobial material and a first metal, wherein the deposit comprises functionally graded layers, the outermost layers possessing the most potent antimicrobial properties.   
     
     
         7 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 6 , wherein the antimicrobial material comprises at least one of elemental silver, gold, platinum, palladium, iridium, copper, tin, antimony, bismuth, zinc, salts thereof, or intermetallics thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 6 , wherein the first metal comprises at least one of cobalt-chrome, tantalum, titanium, platinum, zirconium, niobium, stainless steel, or alloys thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 6 , wherein the metal base structure comprises a base shaped to be secured to a body part of a patient. 
     
     
         10 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 6 , wherein the deposit has a thickness greater than 25 microns. 
     
     
         11 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 6 , wherein the deposit is further modified by a process selected from the group consisting of annealing, etching in acid, etching in base, and oxygen plasma. 
     
     
         12 . A biomedical implant comprising:
 a base structure formed from a biocompatible metal material; and   at least one deposit formed onto the base structure by Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) in an inert gas atmosphere and in functionally graded layers, wherein the outermost layers possess the most potent antimicrobial properties, wherein the deposit includes at least one selection from the group consisting of a first metal, an antimicrobial material, a porous bone ingrowth material, a bearing material, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         13 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 12 , wherein the antimicrobial material comprises at least one of elemental silver, gold, platinum, palladium, iridium, copper, tin, antimony, bismuth, zinc, salts thereof, or intermetallics thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 12 , wherein the first metal comprises at least one of cobalt-chrome, tantalum, titanium, platinum, zirconium, niobium, stainless steel, or alloys thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 12 , wherein the first metal comprises at least one of cobalt-chrome, tantalum, titanium, platinum, zirconium, niobium, stainless steel, or alloys thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 12 , wherein the bearing material comprises a biocompatible composition comprising cobalt and chromium. 
     
     
         17 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 12 , wherein the metal base structure comprises a base shaped to be secured to a body part of a patient. 
     
     
         18 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 12 , wherein each deposit has a thickness greater than 25 microns. 
     
     
         19 . A biomedical implant as in  claim 12 , wherein at least one deposit is modified by a process selected from the group consisting of annealing, etching in acid, etching in base, and oxygen plasma.