Abstract: The surface of a device that is surgically implantable in living bone is prepared. The device is made of titanium with a native oxide layer on the surface. The method of preparation comprises the steps of removing the native oxide layer from the surface of the device and performing further treatment of the surface substantially in the absence of unreacted oxygen.

Abstract: Method for making a mesh-and-plate surgical implant includes the steps of applying maskant to first and second faces of a metal sheet, selectively ablating the maskant on both faces, affixing a first tape to the first face to cover same and maskant thereon, but leaving an exposed portion for a screw hole, affixing a second tape to the second face to cover same and maskant thereon, etching the first face screw hole portion to form a crater, removing the first tape, etching the crater and other exposed portions of the first face, removing the second tape, etching opposite the crater and other exposed portions of the second face to provide openings in communication with the crater, and other second face openings extending to the first face, and removing remaining maskant to provide the implant configured to include a pliable mesh portion and a rigid plate portion, and having a screw hole therein.

Abstract: An oxide coating is formed on zirconium or zirconium alloys of refined microstructure by a process comprising at least the step of inducing an appropriate altered surface roughness such that subsequent oxidation results in a uniformly thick oxide coating. An oxide coating of uniform and controlled thickness is especially useful on orthopedic implants of zirconium or zirconium-based alloys to provide low friction, highly wear resistant surfaces on artificial joints, such as hip joints, knee joints, elbows, etc. The uniformly thick oxide coating of controlled depth on oxide coated prostheses provides a barrier against implant corrosion caused by ionization of the metal prosthesis.

Abstract: A medical prosthetic device or medical implant containing a metal material (A) selected from the group consisting of titanium or an alloy thereof, zirconium or an alloy thereof, tantalum or an alloy thereof, hafnium or an alloy thereof, niobium or an alloy thereof and a chromium-vanadium alloy, wherein surface parts of the metal material (A) are coated with a layer of a corresponding hydride material (B) selected from titanium hydride, zirconium hydride, tantalum hydride, hafnium hydride, niobium hydride and chromium and/or vanadium hydride, respectively, said device or implant being characterized in that the layer of hydride material (B) comprises one or more biomolecule substances (C) associated therewith. The device or implant exhibits improved biocompatibility. The metal material (A) is preferably titanium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mold having split dies to be arranged in opposition about a substrate and an outer frame situated about the perimeter of the split dies, wherein the outer frame and split dies function as a wedge and move slidably so as to convert the load produced by a vertical uniaxial press into load applied from two opposing directions across the horizontal, the split dies move in such a way as to compress the titanium or titanium alloy substrate and uniformly press the side faces thereof so as to impart the required configuration to the substrate, and to artificial bone having high biological affinity produced by the mold.

Abstract: A static trauma or fracture fixation device is made from a metal such as steel, cobalt-chrome alloy or titanium alloy. When in use, the implant has at least one portion which is either in contact with bone tissue or with metal. Although such a metal may be considered a static implant, it undergoes dynamic loads which cause micro-motion. In order to reduce wear, corrosion and modify the frictional characteristics of the surface, coatings may be applied. The coating may be a diamond-like carbon coating of the metal, carbon and hydrogen type. This coating may be applied by physical vapor deposition and/or chemical vapor deposition. Other coating processes may include nitrogen or oxygen diffusion processes or carbon diffusion processes. Anodization may also be used as a coating to modify the wear and corrosion resistance of the base metal.

Abstract: A biocompatible titanium alloy with low modulus comprising &agr;″ phase as a major phase and containing from about 6 to about 9 wt % of molybdenum, from 0 to about 1 wt % of an alloying element and the balance titanium. The alloying element is niobium and/or zirconium. The biocompatible titanium alloy is suitable for use as a material for a medical prosthetic implant.

Abstract: A coating of blue-black or black oxidized zirconium of uniform and controlled thickness on a zirconium or zirconium alloy material is accomplished through the use of a single phase crystalline material substrate having an altered surface roughness. An oxidized zirconium coating of uniform and controlled thickness is especially useful on orthopedic implants of zirconium or zirconium-based alloys to provide low friction, highly wear resistant surfaces on artificial joints, such as, but not limited to, hip joints, knee joints, shoulders, elbows, and spinal implants. The uniformly thick oxidized zirconium surface of controlled depth on prostheses provide a barrier against implant corrosion caused by ionization of the metal prostheses. The invention is also useful in non-articulating implant devices such as bone plates, bone screws, etc.

Abstract: Metal socket (10) for a joint endoprosthesis, the outer surface (11) of which comprises at least three circumferentially extending surfaces (12, 13, 14) of spherical segments each having a different radius (R1, R2, R3). A metal socket for a joint endoprosthesis has an outer surface which includes at least three circumferentially extending, outwardly convex surface regions each having a different radius. The outwardly convex surface regions are exclusively surfaces of spherical segments, centers of which lie on a common axis of rotation, such that a radius of a medial spherical-segment surface is smaller than a radius of a polar spherical-segment surface, but larger than a radius of an equatorial spherical-segment surface.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to make available implant elements or other medical products made of biological material with optimum mechanical and biological properties for a wide group of materials by introduction of a specially designed surface layer onto a strong core, where the surface layer is densified by means of hot isostatic pressing and dimensioned according to the basic fracture mechanics equation so that the thickness of the surface layer is less than c in the equation KIC=Y&sgr; c½, where Klc is the fracture toughness, Y a position and shape factor, c the critical defect size, and &sgr; the permitted stress for the actual material and the chosen design stress.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for implants with composite coatings to promote tissue in-growth and/or on-growth. An implant includes: a substrate; a structured surface formed on at least a portion of the substrate; and a biocompatible coating deposited on at least a fraction of the structured surface. The systems and methods provide advantages in that the implant has good biocompatibility while the biocompatible coating has good strength.