Devices and methods for treating defects in the tissue of a living being

Abstract

An implant for deployment in select locations or select tissue for regeneration of tissue is disclosed. The implant includes collagen and or other bio-resorbable materials, where the implant may also be used for therapy delivery. Additionally, the implant may include, or have blended in, an additive, such as an osteoinductive factor, for example biocompatible ceramics and glass.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical article, comprising: a three-dimensional body formed of an implantable material; said three-dimensional body being wettable with a biocompatible liquid; said three-dimensional body being disruptable upon wetting with the biocompatible liquid so as to form a wetted, disrupted implant material; and said three-dimensional body defining one or more reservoirs for receiving the biocompatible liquid. 
     
     
         2 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein the disrupted implant material is a putty or paste. 
     
     
         3 . The medical article of  claim 2 , wherein the putty or paste is flowable. 
     
     
         4 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reservoirs comprise a depot of biocompatible liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said biocompatible liquid is selected from the group consisting of blood, platelet rich plasma, bone marrow, bone marrow cells, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said biocompatible liquid contains a therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said therapeutic agent comprises an osteogenic protein. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said osteogenic protein comprises a bone morphogenic protein. 
     
     
         9 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said body defines at least one reservoir having a volumetric ratio of at least 1:2 relative to said body. 
     
     
         10 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said implantable material comprises a resorbable polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The medical article of  claim 10 , wherein the resorbable polymer is a natural polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The medical article of  claim 11 , wherein the natural polymer is selected from the group consisting of collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, chitin, chitosan, and starch. 
     
     
         13 . The medical article of  claim 12 , wherein the natural polymer is collagen. 
     
     
         14 . The medical article of  claim 13 , wherein the implantable material comprises soluble collagen and insoluble collagen fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein the implantable material comprises mineral. 
     
     
         16 . The medical article of  claim 14 , wherein the implantable material also comprises mineral. 
     
     
         17 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said body is porous. 
     
     
         18 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises lyophilized implantable material. 
     
     
         19 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said body exhibits substantially no shape memory. 
     
     
         20 . The medical article of  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises a lyophilized collagenous structure that when wetted is susceptible to mixing by hand to prepare a conformable implant material. 
     
     
         21 . The medical article of  claim 20 , wherein said body also comprises mineral particles. 
     
     
         22 . A method for preparing a medical material, comprising: providing a three-dimensional body formed of an implantable material, said three-dimensional body defining one or more reservoirs for receiving a biocompatible liquid; delivering a biocompatible liquid into said at least one reservoir; and disrupting said body to form an implantable material. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said disruptable material comprises a putty or paste. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said putty or paste is flowable. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said implantable medical material comprises a resorbable polymer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the resorbable polymer is a natural polymer. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the natural polymer is selected from the group consisting of collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, chitin, chitosan, starch. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the natural polymer is collagen. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the implantable material comprises soluble collagen and insoluble collagen fibers. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the implantable material also comprises mineral particles. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said disrupted material is a self-supporting putty. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said biocompatible liquid is selected from the group consisting of blood, platelet rich plasma, bone marrow, bone marrow cells, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said biocompatible liquid contains a therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said therapeutic agent comprises an osteogenic protein. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said osteogenic protein comprises a bone morphogenic protein. 
     
     
         36 . A medical article comprising: a three-dimensional body formed of an implantable material; said three-dimensional body defining one or more reservoirs configured to receive a liquid wetting medium for the body; said implantable material comprising a mixture of insoluble collagen, soluble collagen and ceramic. 
     
     
         37 . A method for preparing a wetted medical implant body, comprising: providing a three-dimensional body formed of an implantable material, said three-dimensional body defining one or more reservoirs; and delivering a biocompatible liquid wetting medium to said one or more reservoirs, wherein said liquid wetting medium flows in said one or more reservoirs and thereafter is completely incorporated into said body.