Bone substitute material for medical use and method of producing the same

Abstract

There is disclosed a bone substitute material for medical use which satisfies all the requirements of (1) no histotoxicity, (2) osteoconductivity, (3) bone replacement capability, and (4) mechanical strength necessary for a bone reconstruction operation. The bone substitute material for medical use is predominantly composed of carbonate apatite and produced through the formation of carbonate apatite by contacting a block of calcium compound with a phosphate-containing solution, wherein the calcium compound block contains substantially no powders, and at least one of said calcium compound block and said phosphate solution contains a carbonate group, without any sintering. The block of calcium compound is preferably one prepared using an artificially synthesized calcium compound, most preferably a foamed calcium compound.

1 . A method of producing a bone substitute material in the form of a block predominantly composed of carbonate apatite for medical use, which comprises the step of forming carbonate apatite by contacting a block of calcium compound with a phosphate-containing solution, wherein said calcium compound block contains substantially no powders such that powders with a diameter of 20 micrometers or smaller are less than 1.0% by weight of said calcium compound block, wherein at least one of said calcium compound block and said phosphate solution contains a carbonate group, and wherein the method does not include any sintering step, and wherein the porous block of calcium compound is one prepared using an artificially synthesized calcium compound. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of producing a bone substitute material for medical use as claimed by  claim 1 , wherein the calcium compound block prepared using an artificially synthesized calcium compound is a foamed calcium compound. 
     
     
         4 . A bone substitute material produced by a method comprising:
 forming carbonate apatite by contacting a block of calcium compound with a phosphate-containing solution, wherein said calcium compound block contains substantially no powders such that powders with a diameter of 20 micrometers or smaller are less than 1.0% by weight of said calcium compound block, wherein the porous block of calcium compound is one prepared using an artificially synthesized calcium compound, wherein at least one of said calcium compound block and said phosphate solution contains a carbonate group, and wherein the method does not include any sintering step, and wherein the material is predominantly composed of carbonate apatite.   
     
     
         5 . The method of producing a bone substitute material for medical use as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the contacting of the block of calcium compound with the phosphate-containing solution comprises immersing the block in the phosphate-containing solution. 
     
     
         6 . The method of producing a bone substitute material for medical use as claimed by  claim 1 , wherein said calcium compound block contains substantially no powders such that powders with a diameter of 20 micrometers or smaller are less than 0.8% by weight. 
     
     
         7 . The method of producing a bone substitute material of  claim 1 , wherein said calcium compound block contains calcium sulfate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of producing a bone substitute material of  claim 7 , wherein said phosphate solution contains a carbonate group. 
     
     
         9 . The method of producing a bone substitute material of  claim 8 , wherein said phosphate solution contains ammonium carbonate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of producing a bone substitute material of  claim 7 , wherein said calcium compound block also contains calcium carbonate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of producing a bone substitute material of  claim 1 , wherein said calcium compound block is a tricalcium phosphate block and wherein said phosphate solution contains a carbonate group. 
     
     
         12 . The method of producing a bone substitute material of  claim 1 , wherein said phosphate solution contains ammonium carbonate. 
     
     
         13 . A bone substitute material claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the calcium compound block prepared using an artificially synthesized calcium compound is a foamed calcium compound.