Osteoimplant and method of making same

1. An osteoimplant which comprises a coherent aggregate of elongate bone particles selected from the group consisting of substantially fully demineralized elongate bone particles, partially demineralized elongate bone particles, superficially demineralized elongate bone particles, and mixtures thereof, wherein mutually contacting elongate bone particles are mechanically entangled with each other, the coherent aggregate of elongate bone particles being shaped in a mold to predetermined dimensions in the substantial absence of pressure or mechanical shaping forming an open pore, sponge-like structure, wherein the open pore, sponge-like structure enables the osteoimplant to absorb fluids while generally retaining the predetermined shape.

2. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles represent at least about 50 weight percent of the aggregate.

3. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles represent at least about 60 weight percent of the aggregate.

4. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles represent at least about 90 weight percent of the aggregate.

5. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the aggregate further comprises non-elongate bone particles.

6. The osteoimplant of claim 5 wherein at least some of the non-elongate bone particles are substantially fully mineralized, substantially fully demineralized, partially demineralized or superficially demineralized.

7. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles are obtained from cortical, cancellous, corticocancellous allogenic, xenogenic or transgenic bone tissue.

8. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles possess the capability to facilitate or accelerate new bone growth by at least one of osteogenesis, osteoconduction and osteoinduction.

9. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the median length of the elongate bone particles is from about 2 to about 200 mm, the median width of the elongate bone particles is from about 0.05 to about 50 mm and the ratio of median length to median width is from about 10:1 to about 2000:1.

10. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the median length of the elongate bone particles is from about 1 to about 100 mm, the median width of the elongate particles is from about 0.1 to about 20 mm and the ratio of median length to median width is from about 20:1 to about 600:1.

11. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein at least some of the elongate bone particles are substantially fully demineralized.

12. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein elongate bone particles are admixed with one or more of the group consisting of binders/fillers, plasticizers, biostatic/biocidal agents, bioactive substances, surface active agents prior to, during and/or after forming the aggregate into the osteoimplant.

13. The osteoimplant of claim 12 wherein the binder/filler is selected from the group consisting of cyanoacrylates, epoxy-based compounds, dental resin sealants, dental resin cements, calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate self-setting cements, glass ionomer cements, polymethyl methacrylate, gelatin-resorcinol-formaldehyde glues, protein and collagen-based glues, acrylic resins, cellulosics, bioabsorbable polymers such as polyglycolide, polylactide, glycolide-lactide copolymers, polycaprolactone, polyanhydrides, polycarbonates, polyorthoesters, polyamino acids, polyarylates, polycyanoacrylates, polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyvalyrate, polyphosphazenes, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyarylates, tyrosine-based polycarbonates and polyarylates, carbohydrate polymers, polyiminocarbonates, polypropylene fumarates, polyanhydride esters, polytetrafluroethylene, hexacryl, Hyaluronic acid, fibrin, fibrin-collagen, polyethylene glycol glues, mucopolysaccharides and mussel adhesive proteins, fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives.

14. The osteoimplant of claim 12 wherein the binder/filler is selected from the group consisting of bone powder, demineralized bone powder, porous calcium phosphate ceramics, hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, Bioglass.RTM. and other calcium phosphate materials, calcium sulfate or calcium carbonate particles.

15. The osteoimplant of claim 12 wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group liquid polyhydroxy compound.

16. The osteoimplant of claim 15 wherein the liquid polyhydroxy compound is glycerol.

17. The osteoimplant of claim 12 wherein the biostatic/biocidal agent is selected from the group consisting of antibiotics, povidone, sugars and mucopolysaccharides.

18. The osteoimplant of claim 12 wherein the surface-active agent is selected from the group consisting of biocompatible nonionic, cationic, anionic and amphoteric surfactant.

19. The osteoimplant of claim 12 wherein the bioactive substance is selected from the group consisting of trophic factors, analgesics, anti-cancer agents, vaccines, adjuvants, antibodies, neuroleptics, cells or cellular components, collagen, insoluble collagen derivatives, and soluble solids and/or liquids dissolved therein, antiviricides; antimicrobials and/or antibiotics; biocidal/biostatic sugars; amino acids, peptides, vitamins, inorganic elements, co-factors for protein synthesis; hormones; endocrine tissue or tissue fragments, synthesizers; enzymes, polymer cell scaffolds with parenchymal cells, angiogenic drugs and polymeric carriers containing such drugs; collagen lattices; antigenic agents; cytoskeletal agents; cartilage fragments, modified living cells, natural extracts, genetically engineered living cells, DNA delivered by plasmid or viral vectors, tissue transplants, demineralized bone powder, autogenous tissues, blood, serum, soft tissue, bone marrow, bioadhesives; non-collagenous proteins, osteopontin, osteonectin, bone sialo protein, laminin, fibrinogen, vitronectin, thrombospondin, proteoglycans, decorin, beta glycan, biglycan, aggrecan, versican, tenascin, matrix gla protein, hyaluronan, amino acids, amino acid residues, peptides, bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs); osteoinductive factor (OIF); fibronectin (FN); endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF); cementum attachment extracts (CAE); ketanserin; human growth hormone (HGH); animal growth hormones; epidermal growth factor (EGF); interleukin-1 (L-1); human alpha thrombin; transforming growth factor (TGF-beta); insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) (IGF-2); platelet derived growth factors (PDGF); fibroblast growth factors (FGF, aFGF, bFGF, etc.); periodontal ligament chemotactic factor (PDLGF); somatotropin; bone digestors; antitumor agents; immuno-suppressants; fatty acids; permeation enhancers, fatty acid esters, laureate, myristate and stearate monoesters of polyethylene glycol, enamine derivatives, alpha-keto-aldehydes, and nucleic acids; inorganic elements, inorganic compounds, cofactors for protein synthesis, hormones, soluble and insoluble components of the immune system; soluble and insoluble receptors; soluble, insoluble and cell surface bound ligands; chemokines, bioactive compounds that are endocytosed; endocrine tissue or tissue fragments, growth factor binding proteins, insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP-2) (IGFBP-4) (IGFBP-5) (IGFBP-6); angiogenic agents, bone promoters, cytokines, interleukins, genetic material, genes encoding bone promoting actions, cells containing genes encoding bone promoting action; growth hormones; bone digestors; antiumor agents; cellular attractants and attachment agents; immunosuppressants; bone resorption inhibitors and stimulators; angiogenic and mitogenic factors; bioactive factors that inhibit and stimulate secondary messenger molecules; cell adhesion molecules, cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion molecules; secondary messengers, monoclonal antibodies specific to cell surface determinants on mesenchymal stem cells, clotting factors; externally expanded autograft or xenograft cells, nucleic acids and any combination thereof.

20. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles are in the lyophilized state.

21. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles are cross-linked.

22. The osteoimplant of claim 1 possessing regions one of which comprises demineralized elongate bone particles and another of which comprises nondemineralized elongate bone particles.

23. The osteoimplant of claim 22 wherein the region of demineralized elongate bone particles defines at least a portion of the exterior surface of the osteoimplant and the region of mineralized elongate bone particles defines at least a portion of core of the osteoimplant.

24. The osteoimplant of claim 1 possessing a bulk density of not greater than about 0.3 g/cm.

25. The osteoimplant of claim 1 in the shape of a sheet, plate, disk, cone, pin, screw, tube, tooth, tooth root, plug, bone or portion of bone, wedge or portion of wedge, cylinder or threaded cylinder.

26. The osteoimplant of claim 1 possessing at least one recess therein.

27. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles possess a ratio of median length to median width of from about 10:1 to about 2000:1.

28. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the elongate bone particles possess a ratio of median length to median width of from about 20:1 to about 600:1.

29. The osteoimplant of claim 1 wherein the osteoimplant is configured for use in posterolateral procedures.

30. An implant for bone repair possessing at least one cavity containing the osteoimplant of claim 1 .

31. The implant of claim 30 which is an intervertebral implant.

32. The implant of claim 30 which is a fusion cage.