Biodegradable metallic medical implants, method for preparing and use thereof

1. A method for repairing tissue, the method comprising:

disposing an implant in a patient, the implant comprising a metal composite which comprises:

a cellular nanomatrix comprising a metallic nanomatrix material; and

a metal matrix disposed in the cellular nanomatrix;

contacting tissue of the patient with the implant, the tissue being in need of repair; and

allowing the implant to disintegrate as the tissue repairs;

wherein the metal matrix comprises a particle core material that is discontinuously and discretely distributed as particles within the metal composite.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein allowing the implant to disintegrate comprises disintegrating the implant by contacting the implant with a fluid comprising blood, a blood substitute, saline, a salt, an organic acid, a buffer, an alkaline compound, a protein, an amino acid, a nucleic acid, an enzyme, a carbohydrate, a gas, bone marrow, a tissue, serum, plasma, urine, semen, a lacrimal secretion, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, sweat, synovial fluid, a mucous secretion, lymph, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has an in vitro lifetime effective for the implant to stabilize the tissue during repair and to disintegrate at a rate such that an amount of gas production and blood alkalization from a product of disintegrating the implant is biologically tolerable and non-toxic to the patient.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising bending, drilling, twisting, compressing, stretching the implant, or a combination thereof, prior to disposing the implant in the patient.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising growing additional tissue on the implant.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has a nanoscale thickness between adjacent particles of the metal matrix.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has the metal matrix comprising magnesium; and the metallic nanomatrix material comprising aluminum, calcium, cobalt, copper, iron, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, zinc, an intermetallic compound thereof, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has the metal matrix further comprising aluminum, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has the metal matrix in the form of an alloy.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has the metal matrix comprising magnesium and the metallic nanomatrix material comprising aluminum oxide.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has the metal composite further comprising a disintegrating agent comprising cobalt, copper, iron, nickel, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has a disintegration rate from 0.1 mg/cm 2 /hr to 100 mg/cm 2 /hr.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant that has a percent elongation from 0.1% to 25% and a compressive strength of about 30 ksi to about 80 ksi.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant comprising a plurality of components, each component comprising the metal composite and having a same or different disintegration rate.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the disposing step comprises disposing an implant wherein the plurality of components comprises:

a first component; and

a second component attached to or interworking with the first component.