Dynamic bioactive bone graft material having an engineered porosity

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a dynamic bioactive bone graft material having an engineered porosity. In one embodiment, a bone graft material is provided having bioactive glass fibers arranged in a porous matrix that is moldable into a desired shape for implantation. The material can be substantially without additives and can include at least one nanofiber. The porous matrix may include a combination of one or more pore sizes including nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores. In another embodiment, a bone graft implant is provided having a matrix comprising a plurality of overlapping and interlocking bioactive glass fibers, and having a distributed porosity based on a range of pores provided in the bioactive glass fibers. The distributed porosity can comprise a combination of macropores, mesopores, and micropores, and the matrix can be formable into a desired shape for implantation into a patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bone graft implant comprising:
 a matrix comprising a plurality of overlapping and interlocking bioactive glass fibers and bioactive glass particulates distributed throughout the fibers, the matrix being configured for staged resorption and having a distributed porosity based on a range of pores comprising a combination of macropores, mesopores, and micropores;   wherein the distributed porosity is further based on the plurality of bioactive glass particulates distributed throughout the matrix in addition to the glass fibers; and   wherein the matrix is formable into a desired shape for implantation into a patient.   
     
     
         2 . The bone graft implant of  claim 1 , wherein the bioactive glass fibers have varying diameters and varying resorption rates. 
     
     
         3 . The bone graft implant of  claim 1 , wherein the particulates include interior lumens with perforations that provide an additional plurality of pores to the distributed porosity. 
     
     
         4 . The bone graft implant of  claim 1 , wherein the range of pores further comprises nanopores. 
     
     
         5 . The bone graft implant of  claim 4 , wherein the combination of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores are distributed based on a gradient across the matrix. 
     
     
         6 . The bone graft implant of  claim 1 , wherein the gradient of porosity is configured to variably affect resorption of portions of the bone graft implant. 
     
     
         7 . The bone graft implant of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix is configured with a porosity of at least 30%. 
     
     
         8 . The bone graft implant of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix is configured with a porosity of at least 80% prior to formation into the desired shape. 
     
     
         9 . The bone graft implant of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix is configured with a porosity of at least 95% after formation into the desired shape. 
     
     
         10 . A bone graft material comprising:
 bioactive glass fibers and bioactive glass particulates arranged in a porous matrix, wherein the bone graft material is substantially without additives.   
     
     
         11 . The bone graft material of  claim 10 , wherein the bioactive glass fibers and the bioactive glass particulates comprise silicone oxide based bioactive glass. 
     
     
         12 . The bone graft material of  claim 10 , wherein the bioactive glass fibers have varying diameters and varying resorption rates. 
     
     
         13 . The bone graft material of  claim 10 , further being configured for staged resorption and having a distributed porosity based on a range of pores comprising a combination of macropores, mesopores, and micropores. 
     
     
         14 . The bone graft material of  claim 13 , wherein the range of pores further comprises nanopores. 
     
     
         15 . The bone graft material of  claim 10 , wherein the porous matrix is formable into a desired shape for implantation into a patient. 
     
     
         16 . The bone graft material of  claim 10 , wherein the porous matrix is configured with a porosity of at least 30%. 
     
     
         17 . The bone graft material of  claim 15 , wherein the porous matrix is configured with a porosity of at least 80% prior to formation into the desired shape. 
     
     
         18 . The bone graft material of  claim 15 , wherein the porous matrix is configured with a porosity of at least 95% after formation into the desired shape.