Implant for cartilage repair

Abstract

A medical implant for cartilage repair at an articulating surface of a joint. The implant includes an implant body and at least one extending post. The implant body has an articulate surface configured to face the articulating part of the joint and a bone contact surface configured to face the bone structure of a joint. A cartilage contact surface connects the articulate and the bone contact surfaces and is configured to contact the cartilage surrounding the implant body in a joint. The cartilage contact surface has a coating that includes bioactive material.

1 : A medical implant ( 1 ) for cartilage repair at an articulating surface of a joint,
 comprising a contoured, substantially plate shaped, implant body (n) and at least one extending post ( 8 ), where said implant body has:   a) an articulate surface ( 3 ) configured to face the articulating part of the joint;   b) a bone contact surface ( 6 ) configured to face the bone structure of a joint, where the bone contact surface ( 6 ) is provided with the extending post ( 8 ), said articulate ( 3 ) and bone contact ( 6 ) surfaces facing mutually opposite directions; and   c) a cartilage contact surface ( 7 ), connecting the articulate ( 3 ) and the bone contact ( 6 ) surfaces, which is configured to contact the cartilage surrounding the implant body ( 11 ) in a joint characterized in that   the cartilage contact surface ( 7 ) has a coating substantially consisting of a bioactive material.   
     
     
         2 : The medical implant of  claim 1 , wherein said bioactive material is any of hydroxyapatite (HA), titanium (Ti),titanium alloys, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), beta tricalcium phosphate (TCP), alfa tricalcium phosphate (TCP), collagens, fibronectin, osteonectin, calcium sulphate, calcium phosphate, calcium aluminates, calcium silicates, calcium carbonates or bioactive glass, fluoro compounds or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 : The medical implant of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive material is capable of stimulating cartilage growth and regeneration. 
     
     
         4 : The medical implant of  claim 3 , wherein the bioactive material is any of hydroxyapatite (HA), titanium (Ti), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and/or beta tricalcium phosphate (TCP). 
     
     
         5 : The medical implant of  claim 1 , wherein said bioactive material is hydroxyapatite (HA). 
     
     
         6 : The medical implant according to  claim 1 , wherein said bone contact surface ( 6 ) is coated or partly coated with bioactive material. 
     
     
         7 : The medical implant according to  claim 1 , wherein said extending post is coated or partly coated with bioactive material. 
     
     
         8 : The medical implant according to  claim 6 , wherein said bioactive material of the bone contact surface ( 6 ) and/or extending post ( 8 ) is any of hydroxyapatite (HA), titanium (Ti), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), beta tricalcium phosphate (TCP), collagens, fibronectin, osteonectin, calcium sulphate, calcium phosphate, calcium aluminates, calcium silicates, calcium carbonates, bioactive glass or bisphosphonates, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 : The medical implant according to  claim 1 , wherein said extending post is not coated with bioactive material. 
     
     
         10 : The medical implant according to  claim 1 , wherein said articulate surface ( 3 ) substantially corresponds to the curvature of the articulating surface at the site of the diseased cartilage. 
     
     
         11 : The medical implant according to  claim 1 , wherein the coating of the cartilage contact surface ( 7 ) and/or bone contact surface ( 6 ) and/or extending post ( 8 ) consists of more than 95% hydroxyapatite according to XRD. 
     
     
         12 : The medical implant according to  claim 1 , wherein the bone contact surface or the cartilage contact surface or both has a double coating, comprising an inner coating of titanium and a surface coating of hydroxyapatite and/or tricalcium phosphate. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 : Use of a medical implant according to  claim 1  for the purpose of stimulating cartilage regeneration. 
     
     
         15 : Use according to  claim 13  wherein the bioactive material is any of hydroxyapatite (HA), titanium (Ti), titanium alloys, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), beta tricalcium phosphate (TCP), alfa tricalcium phosphate (TCP), collagens, fibronectin, osteonectin, calcium sulphate, calcium phosphate, calcium aluminates, calcium silicates, calcium carbonates or bioactive glass, fluoro compounds or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 : Use according to  claim 15  wherein the bioactive material is hydroxyapatite (HA) or titanium (Ti). 
     
     
         17 : A method of designing an implant ( 1 ) for cartilage repair in an articulating surface of a joint, comprising the steps of:
 I. determining physical parameters for cartilage damage in a joint and generating design parameters for an implant ( 1 ) and its placement comprising:   a) obtaining image data representing a three dimensional image of a bone member of the joint;   b) identifying in the obtained image data and individual cartilage damage in an articulate surface of the bone member;   c) determining based on the obtained image data the location of the individual cartilage damage;   i) determining based on the obtained image data the size and shape of the individual cartilage damage;   j) determining a cartilage damage site based on the determined size and shape of the cartilage damage;   k) determining based on the obtained image data the surface contour curvature of the individual cartilage damage site ( 92 ) and/or the subchondral bone in the joint in the predetermined area comprising the individual cartilage damage site;   l) determining a representation of a healthy surface contour curvature comprising the individual cartilage damage site   m) selecting an implant ( 1 ) to fit the individual cartilage damage site wherein the implant ( 1 ) has;
 a cross sectional area adapted to fit the surface area of the cartilage damage site 
 an articulate surface ( 3 ) intended to align with the articular cartilage surface in the joint, based on the healthy surface contour curvature 
 a cartilage contact surface ( 7 ), connecting the articulate ( 3 ) and a bone contact ( 6 ) surface, which is configured to contact the cartilage surrounding the implant body ( 11 ) the individual joint and wherein the cartilage contact surface ( 7 ) is designed to have a coating substantially consisting of a bioactive material. 
   II. generating design parameters of the implant ( 1 ), comprising the following steps; c. generating the contact points for a cartilage contact surface ( 7 ) of an implant body ( 11 ) dependent on said determined surface contour curvature of the cartilage and/or the subchondral bone in the joint in a predetermined area comprising and surrounding the site of cartilage damage, such that said cartilage contact surface ( 7 ) of the implant body ( 11 ) fits to said surface contour of the cartilage or the subchondral bone in the joint. d. generating the design parameters for where bioactive material is to be placed on the implant body ( 11 ) depending on the design of the cartilage contact surfaces.   
     
     
         18 : A method of designing an implant ( 1 ) for cartilage repair in an articulating surface of a joint according to  claim 17  wherein the bioactive material is any of hydroxyapatite (HA), titanium (Ti), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), beta tricalcium phosphate (TCP), collagens, fibronectin, osteonectin, calcium sulphate, calcium phosphate, calcium aluminates, calcium silicates, calcium carbonates, bioactive glass or bisphosphonates, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 : A method of designing an implant ( 1 ) for cartilage repair in an articulating surface of a joint according to  claim 1  wherein the techniques for obtaining images, of either the cartilage or the underlying bone or both may are selected from X-rays, optical coherence tomography, SPECT, PET, MR and ultrasound imaging techniques and computed tomography. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled)