Dynamic bioactive nanofiber scaffolding
A resorbable bone graft scaffold material, including a plurality of overlapping and interlocking fibers defining a scaffold structure, plurality of pores distributed throughout the scaffold, and a plurality of glass microspheres distributed throughout the pores. The fibers are characterized by fiber diameters ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 100 micrometers, and the fibers are a bioactive, resorbable material. The fibers generally contribute about 20 to about 40 weight percent of the scaffold material, with the microspheres contributing the balance.
1. A method for producing a resorbable, flexible bone graft scaffold material comprising:
forming a plurality of resorbable fibers;
interlinking the plurality of resorbable fibers to define a fabric having a plurality of open pores; and
filling at least some of the open pores with bioactive, resorbable ceramic microspheres;
wherein the fibers are characterized by fiber diameters substantially ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 10 micrometers; and
wherein the microspheres are characterized by diameters ranging up to about 3 millimeters.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
inserting the fabric into a void into which bone is desired to grow.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fibers and spheres are respectively composed of a material selected from the group including calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, bioactive glass and combinations thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the fibers are substantially composed of 45S5 bioactive glass.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fabric further comprises at least one rapidly resorbing carrier material.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the rapidly resorbing carrier material is selected from the group including polaxamer, glycerol, alkaline oxide copolymers, bone marrow aspirate, and combinations thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the fibers are fused together at their intersections.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the pores carry biological material in communication with new bone.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the glass microspheres define hollow shells and wherein the glass microspheres are filled with medicine.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the microspheres contribute from about 60 weight percent to about 80 weight percent of the scaffold material.