Synthetic bone substitute material

1. A synthetic bone substitute material suitable for use as a replacement for cancellous bone in a bone graft composition comprising a reticulated framework comprising a plurality of interconnecting bioceramic struts and defining an interconnecting interstitial void volume; and a solid, non-porous composition within said interstitial void volume and in intimate contact with said reticulated framework, wherein said solid, non-porous composition comprises calcium sulfate, which does not include an interconnecting pore network such that a liquid poured onto one surface of the reticulated framework can not penetrate the calcium sulfate, pass through the framework, and exit the framework via a different surface.

2. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein said solid, non-porous composition coats an outer surface of said reticulated framework.

3. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the bone substitute material is in a form selected from the group consisting of pellets, granules, wedges, blocks, and disks.

4. A synthetic bone substitute material suitable for use as a replacement for cancellous bone in a bone graft composition comprising a solid matrix composition comprising calcium sulfate; and a discontinuous phase within said matrix, said discontinuous phase comprising a plurality of granules, each granule comprising a reticulated framework comprising a plurality of interconnecting bioceramic struts and defining an interconnecting interstitial void volume; and a solid, non-porous composition within said interstitial void volume and in intimate contact with said reticulated framework, wherein said solid, non-porous composition comprises calcium sulfate, which does not include an interconnecting pore network such that a liquid poured onto one surface of the reticulated framework can not penetrate the calcium sulfate, pass through the framework, and exit the framework via a different surface.

5. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 4 , wherein the bone substitute material is in granulated form.

6. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 5 , wherein the bone substitute material is in the form of granules having an average particle size of less than about 8 mm.

7. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the reticulated framework defines interstitial openings having a size of about 50 to about 600 μm.

8. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the bioceramic struts are formed of a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of alumina, zirconia, calcium phosphate, silica based glass, pyrolytic carbon, and combinations thereof.

9. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 8 , wherein the bioceramic struts are formed of sintered calcium phosphate.

10. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 9 , wherein the calcium phosphate is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, tetracalcium phosphate, anhydrous dicalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate monohydrate, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, heptacalcium phosphate, octocalcium phosphate, calcium pyrophosphate, oxyapatite, calcium metaphosphate, carbonatoapatite, dahlite, and combinations thereof.

11. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 9 , wherein the calcium phosphate is selected from the group consisting of α-tricalcium phosphate, β-tricalcium phosphate, and combinations thereof.

12. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the calcium sulfate is selected from the group consisting of α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate, β-calcium sulfate hemihydrate, calcium sulfate dihydrate, and mixtures thereof.

13. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the solid, non-porous composition further comprises demineralized bone matrix.

14. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the solid, non-porous composition further comprises an accelerant.

15. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 14 , wherein the accelerant is calcium sulfate dihydrate, sucrose-coated calcium sulfate dihydrate, alkali metal sulfates, and mixtures thereof.

16. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the solid, non-porous composition further comprises a plasticizer.

17. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 16 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, vinyl alcohol, stearic acid, hyaluronic acid, cellulose derivatives, and mixtures thereof.

18. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 16 , wherein the plasticizer is a cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of methylhydroxypropylcellulose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose acetate butyrate, and mixtures or salts thereof.

19. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , wherein the solid, non-porous composition further comprises a biologically active agent.

20. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 19 , wherein the biologically active agent is selected from the group consisting of growth factors, antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, and analgesics.

21. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 1 , comprising about 30 to about 99 percent calcium sulfate by volume and about 1 to about 70 percent bioceramic struts by volume.

22. The synthetic bone substitute material of claim 4 , comprising about 30 to about 99 percent calcium sulfate by volume and about 1 to about 70 percent bioceramic struts by volume.

23. A synthetic bone substitute material suitable for use as a replacement for cancellous bone in a bone graft composition comprising a plurality of granules, each granule comprising about 1 to about 70 percent by volume of a reticulated framework comprising a plurality of interconnecting calcium phosphate struts and defining an interconnecting interstitial void volume; and about 30 to about 99 percent byvolume of a solid, non-porous composition within said interstitial void volume and in intimate contact with said reticulated framework, wherein said solid, non-porous composition comprises calcium sulfate, which does not include an interconnecting pore network such that a liquid poured onto one surface of the reticulated framework can not penetrate the calcium sulfate, pass through the framework, and exit the framework via a different surface.