Method for augmenting, reducing, and repairing bone with thermoplastic materials
View Patent ↗A method for augmenting a tissue including introducing into the tissue a first thermoplastic material at a first condition; treating the first thermoplastic material to achieve a second condition that includes an at least partially crystalline skin; and introducing a second material into the tissue whereby the first thermoplastic material and the second material are contained by the at least partially crystalline skin. Also a method of fracture reduction in a tissue including exposing to gamma radiation a mass of polycaprolactone characterized by a first shape; heating the mass of irradiated polycaprolactone above its melting temperature; introducing the heated mass of polycaprolactone into the tissue annulus to deform it from the first shape; allowing the material to return to the first shape.
1. A method of hardware fixation for the treatment of a bone fracture, comprising:
irradiating a polycaprolactone composition to induce a shape memory property;
heating the polycaprolactone composition having a first shape to above its melting point to achieve a second shape deformed from the first shape, wherein the modified composition is a polycaprolactone mixed with a radiopacifier,
injecting the modified composition in its second shape through a cannulated device into a bone site;
applying a fixation device to the bone site such that the fixation device contacts the modified composition in its second shape;
cooling the modified composition below its melting point such that the composition recrystallizes and transitions from the second shape to a shape that approximates the first shape, wherein the recrystallized modified composition supports the fixation device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the fixation device occurs before the step of injecting the modified composition.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cannulated device is the fixation device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the fixation device occurs after the step of injecting the modified composition.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising actively altering the temperature of the modified composition in the second shape.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of actively altering is actively heating.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of actively altering is actively cooling.