Implant for repair and regeneration of soft tissue

Abstract

Provided for herein, in several embodiments are implants and methods of using same to repair damaged or defective soft tissue. In several embodiments, the soft tissue comprises cartilage within a joint space. In several embodiments, the implants provided for comprise a stimulating region and an anchoring region. In several embodiments, the implants are spherical. A discontinuity between a surface of the implant and the surrounding cartilage advantageously facilitates implant placement and stimulation of generation of fibrous tissue, and subsequently new cartilage.

1 . An implant for use in a method of regeneration of cartilage, the implant comprising at least two regions:
 the first region comprising an anchoring region, the anchoring region configured to be positioned at least partially within a layer of bony tissue that underlies a layer of cartilage,   wherein the layer of cartilage is positioned along a surface of the bony tissue,   wherein the layer of cartilage comprises an area of cartilage that is damaged or diseased, said area defining a treatment region, and an area of healthy cartilage,   wherein the layer of cartilage has a depth defined by a distance between a surface of the healthy cartilage distal to the surface of the bony tissue and a surface of the healthy cartilage contacting/juxtaposed with the surface of the bony tissue;   the second region comprising a stimulating region, the stimulating region configured to be positioned at least partially within the treatment region,   wherein the stimulating region comprises an arcuate surface, and   wherein the arcuate surface is dimensioned to create a discontinuous surface between the arcuate surface of the implant and the healthy cartilage at a position where the arcuate surface is positioned at a margin between the treatment region and the healthy cartilage, and   wherein the stimulating region interacts with the layer of cartilage and results in regeneration of cartilage.   
     
     
         2 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring region and stimulating region are approximate mirror images of one another,
 wherein the implant is generally spherical,   wherein the implant is configured to be positioned in a recessed area,   wherein the recessed area passes through the treatment region and extends into the bony tissue.   
     
     
         3 . The implant for use according to  claim 2 , wherein the recessed area extends through a layer of cortical bone and at least partially extends into cancellous bone. 
     
     
         4 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the discontinuous region comprises a step-up, and wherein the step-up has a height of about 0.05 to about 5 mm, as measured from the layer of cartilage. 
     
     
         5 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the discontinuous region comprises a step-down, and wherein the step-down has a height of about 0.05 to about 5 mm, as measured from the layer of cartilage. 
     
     
         6 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the implant is configured to be movable within the recessed area. 
     
     
         7 . The implant for use according to  claim 6 , wherein the motion of the implant comprises motion in two dimensions. 
     
     
         8 . The implant for use according to  claim 7 , wherein the two dimensional motion results in shear forces between the stimulating region of the implant and the healthy surrounding tissue. 
     
     
         9 . The for use implant for use according to  claim 8 , wherein the shear forces between the stimulating region of the implant and the healthy cartilage stimulate formation of fibrous tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The implant for use according to  claim 9 , wherein the formed fibrous tissue is transformed to articular cartilage. 
     
     
         11 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the implant comprises pyrocarbon. 
     
     
         12 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the implant is configured for use in an interphalangeal joint, a knee joint, an acetabulofemoral joint, a talocrural joint, a radiocarpal joint, an elbow joint, a metacarpophalangeal joint, or a metatarsophalangeal joint. 
     
     
         13 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartilage repaired comprises a cartilage of the bone containing the implant. 
     
     
         14 . The implant for use according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartilage repaired comprises a cartilage on the opposing joint surface of the bone containing the implant. 
     
     
         15 . A system for repair of cartilage, the system comprising a plurality of implants according to  claim 1 ,
 the plurality of implants being configured to be implanted in a single joint space and in a plurality of corresponding recesses in bony tissue, the bony tissue being overlayed by a layer of cartilage,   wherein the recesses in the bony tissue extends through the layer of cartilage, through a layer of cortical bone, and at least partially extends into a layer of cancellous bone,   wherein the layer of cartilage comprises a least one region of damaged cartilage,   the implants being dimensioned to be smaller than each corresponding recessed area such that each of the plurality implants is capable of moving in two dimensions within the recessed area,   wherein the motion of the implant within the recessed area results in shear forces between the implant and the cartilage,   wherein the shear forces between the implant and the cartilage stimulates formation of fibrous tissue, and   wherein the formed fibrous tissue is transformed to articular cartilage, thereby repairing the cartilage.