Medical implant II
A medical implant for insertion into bone including a zone sensitive to electromagnetic radiation from a radiation source, the zone comprising a polymer material configured to transition from a solid condition to a softened condition when the zone is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation and being flowable into interspaces of the bone in the softened condition, and a light-conducting portion configured to conduct the electromagnetic radiation from the radiation source to the zone when the medical implant is inserted into the bone.
1. A medical implant for insertion into bone comprising:
a zone sensitive to electromagnetic radiation from a radiation source, the zone comprising a polymer material configured to transition from a solid condition to a softened condition when the zone is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation and being flowable into interspaces of the bone in the softened condition; and
a light-conducting portion configured to conduct the electromagnetic radiation from the radiation source to the zone when the medical implant is inserted into the bone, wherein the light-conducting portion comprises a transparent core and the zone is disposed around the light-conducting portion.
2. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the zone comprises a colored layer or a reflecting layer.
3. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the colored layer or the reflecting layer has a layer thickness of at least 0.01 μm.
4. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein a spectral absorption coefficient of the colored layer or the reflecting layer is greater than 1,000 Mol −1 cm −1 .
5. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein an absorption coefficient of the colored layer is reducible by a factor of at least 1.5 when the polymer material transitions to the softened condition.
6. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material has a minimum molar heat capacity c p of 1.6 kJ/kmolK.
7. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the transition of the polymer material from the solid condition to the softened condition occurs below a temperature of 250° C.
8. The medical implant of claim 1 , further comprising a depression or an elevation for fastening at least one light-conducting structure.
9. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is selected from the groups consisting of: poly-alpha-hydroxyester, polyorthoester, polyanhydride, polyphosphazenes, poly(propylenefumarate), polyesteramide, polyethylenefumarate, polylactide, polyglycolide, polycaprolacton, trimethylenecarbonate, polydioxanone, polyhydrobutyrate, as well as their copolymers and mixtures.
10. The medical implant according to claim 1 , wherein the zone comprises regions with different absorption coefficients.
11. The medical implant of claim 1 , further comprising fibers, wherein the zone coats the fibers.
12. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the medical implant comprises an open-pore foam or sponge, a bone fixating element, or a dental implant or dental root implant.
13. An osteosynthesis process using the medical implant of claim 1 comprising:
a) positioning of the medical implant outside an implanting point;
b) exposing the zone to electromagnetic radiation until the polymer material transitions to the softened condition; and
c) inserting the at least partially softened medical implant at the implanting point.
14. The medical implant of claim 1 , further comprising a coating, the coating effective for receiving colored substances upon contact with body fluids containing the colored substances.
15. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the medical implant comprises portions that do not soften when the polymer material transitions to the softened condition.
16. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the zone comprises a colored component, a color-receiving component, and/or a reflective component.
17. A medical implant for insertion into bone comprising:
a zone sensitive to electromagnetic radiation from a radiation source, the zone comprising a polymer material configured to transition from a solid condition to a softened condition when the zone is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation and being flowable into interspaces of the bone in the softened condition; and
a light-conducting portion configured to conduct the electromagnetic radiation from the radiation source to the zone when the medical implant is inserted into the bone, wherein the light-conducting portion comprises a hollow space for receiving a light-conducting structure.
18. The medical implant of claim 17 , wherein the zone comprises a colored layer or a reflecting layer.
19. The medical implant of claim 18 , wherein the colored layer or the reflecting layer has a layer thickness of at least 0.01 μm.
20. The medical implant of claim 18 , wherein a spectral absorption coefficient of the colored layer or the reflecting layer is greater than 1,000 Mol −1 cm −1 .
21. The medical implant of claim 18 , wherein an absorption coefficient of the colored layer is reducible by a factor of at least 1.5 when the polymer material transitions to the softened condition.
22. The medical implant of claim 17 , wherein the polymer material has a minimum molar heat capacity c p of 1.6 kJ/kmolK.
23. The medical implant of claim 17 , wherein the transition of the polymer material from the solid condition to the softened condition occurs below a temperature of 250° C.
24. The medical implant of claim 17 , further comprising a depression or an elevation for fastening at least one light-conducting structure.
25. The medical implant of claim 17 , wherein the polymer material is selected from the groups consisting of: poly-alpha-hydroxyester, polyorthoester, polyanhydride, polyphosphazenes, poly(propylenefumarate), polyesteramide, polyethylenefumarate, polylactide, polyglycolide, polycaprolacton, trimethylenecarbonate, polydioxanone, polyhydrobutyrate, as well as their copolymers and mixtures.
26. The medical implant according to claim 17 , wherein the zone comprises regions with different absorption coefficients.
27. The medical implant of claim 17 , further comprising fibers, wherein the zone coats the fibers.
28. The medical implant of claim 17 , wherein the medical implant comprises an open-pore foam or sponge, a bone fixating element, or a dental implant or dental root implant.
29. An osteosynthesis process using the medical implant of claim 17 comprising:
a) positioning of the medical implant outside an implanting point;
b) exposing the zone to electromagnetic radiation until the polymer material transitions to the softened condition; and
c) inserting the at least partially softened medical implant at the implanting point.
30. The medical implant of claim 17 , further comprising a coating, the coating effective for receiving colored substances upon contact with body fluids containing the colored substances.
31. The medical implant of claim 17 , wherein the medical implant comprises portions that do not soften when the polymer material transitions to the softened condition.
32. The medical implant of claim 17 , wherein the zone comprises a colored component, a color-receiving component, and/or a reflective component.