Bone implant, in particular, an inter-vertebral implant

Abstract

A bone implant and the method of manufacturing thereof, the bone implant, in particular an inter-vertebral implant, made of a radiation-permeable material. The inter-vertebral implant defining a surface and comprising a front section, a back section, two lateral sections defining a central axis, and a substantially hollow interior chamber, each section having a superior and inferior vertebral contacting surface. The hollow chamber is subdivided by at least two partitions running essentially parallel to the central axis and which connect the front section to the back section.

1 . An inter-vertebral implant, comprising: 
 a front section, a back section, two lateral sections defining a central axis, and a substantially hollow interior chamber, each section having a superior and inferior vertebral contacting surface,    wherein the implant is subdivided by at least two partitions, the at least two partitions running essentially parallel to the central axis and connecting the front section to the back section, and    wherein the implant is made of a radiation-permeable material, the radiation-permeable material exhibits low water absorption.    
   
   
       2 . The bone implant of  claim 1 , wherein the partitions are trussed together by a cross strut.  
   
   
       3 . The bone implant of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two lateral sections have at least one perforation having a minimum area of about 3.5 mm 2 .  
   
   
       4 . The bone implant of  claim 3 , wherein the perforations of the two lateral sections are at least partially filled with an X-ray-opaque filler material.  
   
   
       5 . The bone implant of  claim 1 , wherein the perforations of the partitions are at least partially filled with an X-ray-opaque filler material.  
   
   
       6 . The bone implant of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation-permeable material is formed from at least one of the group selected from the group consisting of polyarylether ketone (PAEK), polytherimide (PEI), polyoxymethylene (POM), liquid-crystal polymer (LCP), polymethyl pentene (PMP), polysolfone (PSU), polyether sulfone (PESU or PES), polyethylene terephthalate (PETP), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and ultra-high molecular polyethylene (UHMW-PE).  
   
   
       7 . The bone implant of the  claim 1 , wherein the radiation-permeable material is strengthened with fibers, the fibers being selected from at least one of the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, and PEEK fibers.  
   
   
       8 . The bone implant of  claim 1  having a total volume, V, and the hollow chamber having a volume, v, and wherein the ratio of V:v between the total volume V of the bone implant and the volume v of the hollow chamber is about 2.1.  
   
   
       9 . The bone implant of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the surface has a thin coating having substantially no effect on the X-ray-transparency.  
   
   
       10 . The bone implant of  claim 9 , wherein the coating is made of a metal, the metal comprising at least one of the group consisting of titanium, gold, and platinum.  
   
   
       11 . The bone implant of  claim 9 , wherein the coating is made of hydroxyapatite or tricalcium phosphate.  
   
   
       12 . The bone implant of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow chamber is at least partially filled with a filler selected from at least one of the group consisting of calcium sulfate, demineralized bone, autologous bone, and coralline substances.  
   
   
       13 . The bone implant of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow chamber is filled at least partially with a filler comprising a resorbable polymer.  
   
   
       14 . The bone implant of  claim 13 , wherein the polymer is substantially porous.  
   
   
       15 . An inter-vertebral bone implant, having a total volume V comprising: 
 a front section, a back section, two lateral sections defining a central axis, and a substantially hollow interior chamber, each section having a superior and inferior vertebral contacting surface,    wherein the hollow chamber being subdivided by at least two partitions, the at least two partitions running essentially parallel to the central axis and connecting the front section to the back section, the at least two partitions trussed together by a cross strut, and    wherein the hollow chamber having a volume, v, and wherein the ratio of V:v between the total volume V of the implant and the volume v of the hollow chamber is about about 2.1.    
   
   
       16 . The bone implant of  claim 15 , wherein the two lateral sections have at least one perforation.  
   
   
       17 . The bone implant of  claim 16 , wherein the perforations have a minimum area of about 3.5 mm 2 .  
   
   
       18 . The bone implant of the  claim 15 , wherein the radiation-permeable material is strengthened with fibers.  
   
   
       19 . The bone implant of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the surface has a substantially X-ray-transparent coating.