Anisotropic materials in medical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083017-B2
Application number	US-202016842470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2020
Priority date	Apr 7, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A system and method for improving upon an ability of a surgeon to repair traumatic bone injury using new materials, components, and structures. A structure may be used as an implant or a component of an external fixator for a fractured long bone with that structure having anisotropic and viscoelastic properties, such as through additive manufacturing techniques.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method for repairing a fracture of a bone, comprising the steps of:
a) fixing the fracture of the bone using a structural medical device spanning a length of the fracture wherein said device includes a body including a body portion, and a framework disposed within said body portion, and wherein said framework includes a set of one or more structural elements configured to produce an anisotropic bulk material property in said body portion, said anisotropic bulk material property having a variable stiffness profile, said framework including a set of non-biodegradable/non-bioabsorbable stiffness elements, and a set of biodegradable/bioabsorbable stiffness elements, wherein said variable stiffness profile changes in a predetermined manner responsive to a degradation/absorbtion of said set of degradable/absorbable stiffness elements; and
b) degrading/absorbing selectively, in situ, said set of biodegradable/bioabsorbable stiffness elements during a healing of the fracture without a stiffness-affecting degradation/absorption of said set of non-biodegradable/non-bioabsorbable stiffness elements, while said structural medical device spans said length of the fracture;
wherein said step of fixing the fracture of the bone includes a portion of said structural medical device configure to be disposed supracutaneously.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said structural medical device includes an external fixator.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a supracutaneous container including a selective degrading/absorbing material wherein said set of biodegradable/bioabsorbable stiffness elements are disposed within said container.

4. A method for repairing a fracture of a bone, comprising the steps of:
a) fixing the fracture of the bone using a structural medical device spanning a length of the fracture wherein said device includes a body including a body portion, and a framework disposed within said body portion, and wherein said framework includes a set of one or more structural elements configured to produce an anisotropic bulk material property in said body portion, said anisotropic bulk material property having a variable stiffness profile, said framework including a set of non-biodegradable/non-bioabsorbable stiffness elements, and a set of biodegradable/bioabsorbable stiffness elements with said variable stiffness profile changing in a predetermined manner responsive to a degradation/absorbtion of said set of degradable/absorbable stiffness elements; and
b) degrading/absorbing selectively, in situ, said set of biodegradable/bioabsorbable stiffness elements during a healing of the fracture without a stiffness-affecting degradation/absorption of said set of non-biodegradable/non-bioabsorbable stiffness elements, while said structural medical device spans said length of the fracture;
wherein said step of fixing the fracture of the bone includes a portion of said structural medical device configured to be disposed subcutaneously;
wherein said structural medical device includes an internal plate.

5. A method for repairing a fracture of a bone, comprising the steps of:
a) fixing the fracture of the bone using a structural medical device spanning a length of the fracture wherein said device includes a body including a body portion, and a framework disposed within said body portion, and wherein said framework includes a set of one or more structural elements configured to produce an anisotropic bulk material property in said body portion, said anisotropic bulk material property including a variable stiffness profile, said framework including a set of non-biodegradable/non-bioabsorbable stiffness elements, and a set of biodegradable/bioabsorbable stiffness elements with said variable stiffness profile changing in a predetermined manner responsive to a degradation/absorbtion of said set of degradable/absorbable stiffness elements; and
b) degrading/absorbing selectively, in situ, said set of biodegradable/bioabsorbable stiffness elements during a healing of the fracture without a stiffness-affecting degradation/absorption of said set of non-biodegradable/non-bioabsorbable stiffness elements, while said structural medical device spans said length of the fracture;
wherein said step of fixing the fracture of the bone includes a portion of said structural medical device configured to be disposed subcutaneously;
wherein said structural medical device includes an intramedullary rod.

6. A method for repairing a fracture of a bone, comprising:
a) fixing the fracture of the bone using a structural medical device spanning a length of the fracture wherein said device includes a body having a body portion, a framework disposed within said body portion, and wherein said framework includes a set of one or more structural elements configured to produce an anisotropic bulk material property in said body portion, said framework including an anisotropic component having a variable stiffness profile, said anisotropic component including a set of robotic materials with said variable stiffness profile configured to change responsive to a programmatic stiffness reconfiguration of said set of robotic materials; and
b) adjusting programmatically, in situ, said stiffness profile using said set of robotic materials during a healing of the fracture, while said structural medical device spans said length of the fracture.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of fixing said reduced fractured bone includes a portion of said structural medical device is disposed subcutaneously.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said structural medical device includes an internal plate.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said structural medical device includes an intramedullary rod.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said robotic materials include a processor, a memory including a set of instructions executable by said processor wherein said processor, responsive to said instructions, selectively adjusts said variable stiffness profile.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of fixing the fracture of the bone includes a portion of said structural medical device is disposed supracutaneously.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said structural medical device includes an external fixator.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said robotic materials include a processor, a memory including a set of instructions executable by said processor wherein said processor, responsive to said instructions, selectively adjusts said variable stiffness profile.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein said robotic materials include a processor, a memory including a set of instructions executable by said processor wherein said processor, responsive to said instructions, selectively adjusts said variable stiffness profile.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said processor is responsive to said instructions to autonomously adjust said stiffness profile.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising a receiver, coupled to said processor, receiving remotely a set of processor directives communicated to said receiver, said set of processor directors configured to direct said processor to adjust programmatically said stiffness profile.

17. A medical system for repairing a set of fractures in a bone, comprising:
a spanning structure having a length spanning the set of fractures, said spanning structure including a framework having an anisotropic component including a variable stiffness profile; and
an applicator, coupled to said spanning structure, configured to p

Assignees

• Behzadi Kambiz

Inventors

• Behzadi Kambiz
• Woods Michael E

Classifications

• A61B17/7283

  with special cross-section of the nail · CPC title

• A61B2017/00526

  Methods of manufacturing · CPC title

• A61B2017/00964

  composite · CPC title

• A61B17/66

  {Alignment}, compression or distraction mechanisms · CPC title

• A61F2002/2825

  Femur · CPC title