Negative-positive pressurizable implant

Abstract

A pressurizable implant, comprising a body and at least one porous arm extending from and interconnected to the body, the at least one porous arm being configured to accommodate a pressure gradient that is created by a device removably connectable to the body.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of distributing a pressure gradient across an implant, the method comprising:
 providing an implant having a body, an internal chamber and at least one porous arm extending from and interconnected to the internal chamber via a channel or duct;   placing an airtight seal in the internal chamber;   connecting a device to the airtight seal; and   actuating the device to create a pressure differential across at least a portion of the implant.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein connecting the device to the airtight seal comprises:
 connecting a syringe to the airtight seal.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein creating the pressure differential comprises:
 distributing a negative pressure gradient across the at least one porous arm by removing air through the airtight seal upon actuating the syringe.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein creating the pressure differential comprises:
 distributing a positive pressure gradient across the at least one porous arm by delivering a pharmacological agent through the airtight seal upon actuating the syringe.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 removing the airtight seal from the implant.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pharmacological agent includes at least one of medicines, antibiotics, growth factors and blood platelets. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the airtight seal is a rubber stopper. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the body is shaped as a cylinder and defines a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the implant includes a plurality of porous arms interconnected to the body at a single location along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         25 . A method for distributing a negative pressure gradient across an implant, the method comprising:
 providing an implant having a body, an internal chamber and at least one porous arm extending from and interconnected to the internal chamber via a channel or duct;   placing a rubber stopper at least partially within the internal chamber;   connecting a syringe to the rubber stopper; and   pulling on a plunger of the syringe to remove air through the rubber stopper, thereby distributing a negative pressure gradient across the at least one porous arm.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 removing the rubber stopper from the implant.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the body is shaped as a cylinder and defines a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the implant includes a plurality of porous arms interconnected to the body at a single location along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         29 . A method for distributing a positive pressure gradient across an implant, the method comprising:
 providing an implant having a body, an internal chamber and at least one porous arm extending from and interconnected to the internal chamber via a channel or duct;   placing a rubber stopper at least partially within the internal chamber;   connecting a syringe to the rubber stopper;   pushing on a plunger of the syringe to deliver a pharmacological agent through the rubber stopper, thereby distributing a positive pressure gradient across the at least one porous arm.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 removing the rubber stopper from the implant.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the pharmacological agent includes at least one of medicines, antibiotics, growth factors and blood platelets. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the body is shaped as a cylinder and defines a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the implant includes a plurality of porous arms interconnected to the body at a single location along the longitudinal axis.