Drug-Eluting Stapes Prosthesis

Abstract

A medical implant device includes a prosthesis adapted to replace at least a portion of a bone. The prosthesis includes a drug-eluting polymer adapted to deliver a drug to at least a portion of an area surrounding the prosthesis.

1 . A medical implant device, comprising:
 a prosthesis adapted to replace at least a portion of a bone, wherein the prosthesis comprises a drug-eluting polymer adapted to deliver a drug to at least a portion of an area surrounding the prosthesis.   
     
     
         2 . The medical implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the prosthesis is a stapes prosthesis. 
     
     
         3 . The medical implant device of  claim 2 , wherein the stapes prosthesis comprises a wire portion and a piston portion. 
     
     
         4 . The medical implant device of  claim 3 , wherein the drug-eluting polymer surrounds at least one section of the wire portion. 
     
     
         5 . The medical implant device of  claim 3 , wherein the piston portion comprises the drug-eluting polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The medical implant device of  claim 5 , wherein the piston portion comprises a monolithic polymer matrix having drug molecules distributed therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The medical implant device of  claim 5 , wherein the piston portion comprises a solid exterior. 
     
     
         8 . The medical implant device of  claim 7 , wherein the piston portion comprises a core, within the solid exterior, that comprises the drug-eluting polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The medical implant device of  claim 3 , wherein the piston portion comprises a semi-permeable membrane. 
     
     
         10 . The medical implant device of  claim 3 , wherein the piston portion comprises an impermeable sheath. 
     
     
         11 . A method of treating a portion of a body, the method comprising:
 removing a damaged portion of a body; and   inserting a prosthesis to replace the damaged portion of the body, wherein the prosthesis comprises a drug-eluting polymer adapted to deliver at least one drug to at least a portion of an area surrounding the prosthesis.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the body comprises a stapes bone. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the prosthesis is a stapes prosthesis. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the stapes prosthesis comprises a wire portion and a piston portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the drug-eluting polymer surrounds at least one section of the wire portion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the piston portion comprises the drug-eluting polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the piston portion comprises a monolithic polymer matrix having drug molecules distributed therethrough. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the piston portion comprises a solid exterior. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the piston portion comprises a core, within the solid exterior, that comprises the drug-eluting polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the piston portion comprises a semi-permeable membrane. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the piston portion comprises an impermeable sheath. 
     
     
         22 . A method for manufacturing a medical implant device, the method comprising:
 coupling a wire portion to a piston portion to form a prosthesis, at least one of the wire portion and the piston portion comprising a drug-eluting polymer adapted to deliver a drug to at least a portion of an area surrounding the prosthesis.