COMPOSITE ORTHOPEDIC IMPLANT HAVING A LOW FRICTION MATERIAL SUBSTRATE WITH PRIMARY FRICTIONAL FEATURES AND SECONDARY FRICTIONAL FEATURES

1 . An orthopedic implant comprising:

a substrate material adapted to provide the orthopedic implant;

a primary friction area located on or integral with said substrate material, said primary friction area having a primary surface having a primary frictional feature; and

a secondary friction area located on or integral with said primary surface and defining a secondary frictional feature;

said primary friction area and said secondary friction area defining a friction interface zone, said secondary friction area increasing a friction of said primary surface to enhance the frictional engagement between said primary surface and at least one bone.

2 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said primary friction area having a primary friction surface that is at least one of machined, molded, extruded, sintered or deposited substrate.

3 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 2 wherein said deposited substrate is a polymeric substrate.

4 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 2 wherein said primary friction surface defines a plurality of teeth or serrations.

5 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 4 wherein said secondary friction area that is at least one of machined, molded, extruded, sintered or deposited substrate.

6 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 4 wherein said secondary friction area comprises at least one of a microscopically or macroscopically rough surface.

7 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said secondary friction area is regular in shape.

8 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said secondary friction area is irregular in shape.

9 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate material is made from a thermoplastic.

10 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 9 wherein said thermoplastic is a polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

11 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein a modulus of elasticity of said substrate material is less than or equivalent to bone.

12 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 11 wherein said substrate material has a low coefficient of friction with bone.

13 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said primary friction area or said secondary friction area being made from a metal or metallic alloy.

14 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said primary friction area or said secondary friction area having a modulus of elasticity that the same as or greater than bone.

15 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one of said primary friction area or said secondary friction area having a modulus of elasticity that the same as or greater than bone.

16 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said primary friction area or said secondary friction area comprising a higher coefficient of friction with bone.

17 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said primary friction area or said secondary friction area having a modulus of elasticity that the same as or greater than bone.

18 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said primary friction area comprising a higher coefficient of friction with bone and said secondary friction area comprising a higher coefficient of friction than said primary friction area.

19 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said primary friction area having a modulus of elasticity that the same as or greater than bone and said secondary friction area having a modulus of elasticity that is the same or greater than said primary friction area.

20 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said secondary frictional feature is integral with, welded to, adhered to or otherwise affixed to said primary frictional feature.

21 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said secondary frictional feature is sprayed onto, melted to or applied to said primary friction area.

22 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 21 wherein said secondary frictional feature are defined by particles that are at least one of round, not round or acicular, circular, coarse, acyclic.

23 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 22 wherein said particles are continuous or discontinuous or discrete on at least a portion of said primary frictional feature.

24 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said secondary frictional feature defines a plurality of teeth, points or peaks on said primary friction area.

25 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 24 wherein said plurality of teeth, points or peaks are neither regular nor symmetrical.

26 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 24 wherein said plurality of teeth, points or peaks are regular and symmetrical.

27 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said primary frictional feature and said secondary frictional feature are made from different materials.

28 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said primary frictional feature and said secondary frictional feature are made from the same materials.

29 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one of said primary frictional feature, said secondary frictional feature or said substrate material is made from a different material than the others.

30 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said secondary frictional feature increases a coefficient of friction of said orthopedic implant and bone.

31 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said orthopedic implant is a spinal implant.

32 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 31 wherein said spinal implant is a cage.

33 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 1 wherein said secondary frictional feature is a deposit onto said primary surface.

34 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 33 wherein said deposit is a plasma vapor deposition deposit.

35 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 33 wherein said primary surface defines a plurality of teeth or serrations and said deposit is applied to surfaces of one or more of said plurality of teeth or serrations.

36 . An orthopedic implant comprising:

a body comprising a composite material;

a first friction area situated between the body and bone of a patient when the orthopedic implant is implanted in the patient; and

a second friction area associated with said first friction area for directly engaging said bone,

each of said first and second friction areas for improving a frictional engagement between said bone and said orthopedic implant.

37 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said body and said first friction area comprise have a modulus of elasticity that is lower than a modulus of elasticity of said second friction area.

38 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said second friction area defines a frictional engaging surface that increases a coefficient of friction between said first friction area and said bone.

39 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein body is made from a polymeric material, and at least one of said first or second friction areas comprises a metallic or metallic alloy.

40 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 38 wherein said first friction area defines a plurality of teeth or serrations and said second friction area defines a layer or coating thereon.

41 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 40 wherein said second friction area is at least one of machined, molded, extruded, sintered or deposited substrate.

42 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 40 wherein said second friction area comprises at least one of a microscopically or macroscopically rough surface.

43 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said second friction area is uninterrupted.

44 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said second friction area is irregular in shape.

45 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said composite material is made from a thermoplastic.

46 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 45 wherein said thermoplastic is a polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

47 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein a modulus of elasticity of said composite material is less than or equivalent to bone.

48 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 47 wherein a coefficient of friction associated with said composite material and bone is lower than a coefficient of friction between said second friction area and said bone.

49 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein each of said first friction area and said second friction area are made from a metal or metallic alloy and said body is made of a polymer.

50 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein each of said first friction area or said second friction area have a modulus of elasticity that is the same as or greater than bone.

51 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 47 wherein each of said first friction area and said second friction area comprise a higher coefficient of friction with bone.

52 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said second friction area is integral with, welded to, adhered to or otherwise affixed to said first friction area.

53 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said second friction area is sprayed onto, melted to, adhered to or applied to said first friction area.

54 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 53 wherein said second friction area is defined by particles that are at least one of round, not round, circular, coarse, acyclic.

55 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 54 wherein said particles are continuous or discontinuous or discrete on at least a portion of said first friction area.

56 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said second friction area defines a plurality of points or peaks on said first friction area.

57 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 56 wherein said plurality of points or peaks are neither regular nor symmetrical.

58 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 56 wherein said plurality of points or peaks are regular and symmetrical.

59 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said orthopedic implant is a spinal implant.

60 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 59 wherein said spinal implant is a cage.

61 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 36 wherein said second friction area is a deposit onto said first friction area.

62 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 61 wherein said deposit is a plasma vapor deposition deposit.

63 . The orthopedic implant as recited in claim 61 wherein said first friction area defines a plurality of teeth or serrations and said deposit is applied to surfaces of one or more of said plurality of teeth or serrations.

64 . A method for improving a frictional interface between an implant and bone of a patient, comprising the steps of:

processing a body to comprise a primary friction feature, and

processing said body to comprise a secondary friction feature directly on said primary friction feature.

65 . The method as recited in claim 64 wherein said primary friction feature has a primary friction surface that is at least one of machined, molded, extruded, sintered or deposited substrate.

66 . The method as recited in claim 65 wherein said least one of machined, molded, extruded, sintered or deposited substrate is a polymeric substrate.

67 . The method as recited in claim 65 wherein said primary friction surface defines a plurality of teeth or serrations.

68 . The method as recited in claim 64 wherein said secondary friction feature that is at least one of machined, molded, extruded, sintered or deposited substrate.

69 . The method as recited in claim 64 wherein said secondary friction feature comprises at least one of a microscopically or macroscopically rough surface.

70 . The method as recited in claim 64 wherein said secondary friction feature is regular in shape.

71 . The method as recited in claim 64 wherein said secondary friction feature is irregular in shape.

72 . The method as recited in claim 65 wherein said least one of machined, molded, extruded, sintered or deposited substrate has a low coefficient of friction with bone.

73 . The method as recited in claim 65 wherein at least one of said primary friction surface or said secondary friction feature being a deposit on said primary friction surface of a metal or metallic alloy.

74 . The method as recited in claim 65 wherein said secondary friction feature defines a plurality of teeth, points or peaks on said primary friction surface.

75 . The method as recited in claim 64 wherein said method comprises the step of:

depositing said secondary friction feature onto said primary friction feature.

76 . The method as recited in claim 75 wherein said depositing step is performed using plasma vapor deposition.