DYNAMIC BIOACTIVE NANOFIBER SCAFFOLDING
A resorbable bone graft scaffold material, including a plurality of overlapping and interlocking fibers defining a scaffold structure and plurality of pores distributed throughout the scaffold. The fibers are characterized by fiber diameters ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 100 micrometers, and the fibers are a bioactive, resorbable material.
1 . A resorbable bone graft scaffold material, comprising:
a plurality of overlapping and interlocking fibers defining a scaffold structure; and
a plurality of pores distributed throughout the scaffold;
wherein the fibers are characterized by fiber diameters ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 100 micrometers;
wherein the fibers are a bioactive, resorbable material.
2 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the fibers are composed of a material selected from the group including calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, bioactive glass and combinations thereof.
3 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the fibers are substantially composed of 45S5 bioactive glass.
4 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the material has the physical appearance of a felt.
5 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the material has the physical appearance of a cotton ball.
6 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the material has the physical appearance of cotton candy.
7 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the fiber diameters are substantially between about 10 nanometers and about 10 micrometers.
8 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the fiber diameters are substantially between about 1 micrometer and about 10 micrometers.
9 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the fiber diameters are substantially less than about 400 nanometers.
10 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the plurality of overlapping and interlocking fibers are at least partially fused together.
11 . The resorbable bone graft scaffold material of claim 1 wherein the fibers are non-fused.
12 . A method for producing a resorbable, flexible bone graft scaffold material comprising:
forming a plurality of resorbable fibers; and
interlocking the plurality resorbable fibers into a fabric;
wherein the fabric is characterized by an interconnected open pore structure; and
wherein the fibers are characterized by fiber diameters substantially ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 10 micrometers.
13 . The method of claim 12 and further comprising:
inserting the fabric into a void into which bone is desired to grow.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the fibers are composed of a material selected from the group including calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, bioactive glass and combinations thereof.
15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the fibers are substantially composed of 45S5 bioactive glass.
16 . The method of claim 12 wherein the fabric further comprises at least one rapidly resorbing carrier material.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the rapidly resorbing carrier material is selected from the group including polaxamer, glycerol, alkaline oxide copolymers, bone marrow aspirate, and combinations thereof.
18 . The method of claim 12 wherein at least some of the fibers are fused together at their intersections.
19 . The method of claim 12 wherein at least some of the fibers are non-fused at their intersections.
20 . The method of claim 13 wherein the pores carry biological material in communication with new bone.
21 . The method of claim 12 and further comprising a plurality of glass microspheres distributed throughout the fabric.
22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the glass microspheres are made of a bioactive material.
23 . The method of claim 22 wherein the glass microspheres are hollow and wherein the glass microspheres are filled with medicine.