Porous biocompatible polymer material and methods
Embodiments described include devices and methods for forming a porous polymer material. Devices disclosed and formed using the methods described a spacer for spinal fusion, craniomaxillofacial (CMF) structures, and other structures for tissue implants.
1. A method of forming a porous polymer material, comprising:
forming a mixture of polymer granules and ceramic coating powder,
wherein the polymer granules comprise polyaryletherketone (PAEK) polymers;
wherein the ceramic coating powder comprises ceramic particles that coat the polymer granules;
wherein the ceramic particles are smaller than the polymer granules;
wherein the ceramic particles do not melt at a melting temperature of the polymer granules;
heating the mixture to a temperature above the melting temperature of the polymer granules;
controlling flow of molten polymer as a result of the ceramic coating powder substantially preserving interstitial spaces in the mixture; and
cooling the mixture to form a porous body having bonds at contact points of the coated polymer granules.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the porous body to form a spacer for spinal fusion.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a the ceramic coating powder includes ceramic particles selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate (BaSO 4 ) and strontium carbonate (SrCO 3 ).
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the porous body to form a craniomaxillofacial (CMF) structure.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
plasma treating a surface of the porous polymer material using ionized oxygen.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating a surface of the porous polymer material with hydroxyapatite.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating a surface of the porous polymer material with calcium phosphate.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating a surface of the porous polymer material with titanium nitride.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively compressing the porous body.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising incorporating a reinforcing structure into the porous body.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the mixture of polymer granules and ceramic coating powder includes selecting a polymer material to match a mechanical property of the porous body to a corresponding mechanical property of adjacent tissue.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mechanical property includes an elastic modulus.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a biologically active substance to the porous body.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising coating the porous body with a material configured to control the release of the biologically active substance.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer granules includes polyetheretherketone (PEEK) granules.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the ceramic coating powder includes beta tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP).
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mixture of polymer granules and-ceramic coating powder-is about 90% by weight polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and about 10% by weight beta-tricalcium phosphate.
18. The method of claim 1 , further including substantially removing the ceramic coating powder through formed pores after the mixture has cooled.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the formed pores have a mean pore size of 5 μm to 5000 μm.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the formed pores have a mean pore size of 100 μm to 500 μm.
21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising perfusing the formed pores with a biologically active substance.