Method for Producing Nanostructures on a Surface of a Medical Implant

Author:  Thomas J. Webster, Barrington, RI (US); Chang Yao, Jiangsu (CN)
Source:  US Patent 2011/0125263Al
Doc ID:  2011132
Year of Publication:  2011
Abstract:  
A method for treating a surface of a medical implant to create nanostl1lctures on the surface that results in increased in-vivo chondrocyte adhesion to the surface. Further, disclosed is a method to fabricate a drug delivery system. The drug delivery system includes a medical implant that has undergone a surface treatment process that results in the modification of the surface configuration and topography. The modified surface acts as a depot or reservoir for loaded biological material, biologic agents or pharmaceutical products. Additionally, a device for delivering pharmaceutical products or other biological materials is disclosed. The device includes integrally attached nanostl1lctures that retain or adsorb the loaded pharmaceutical products and/or biological materials. Further disclosed is a medical implant that includes a surface configured to allow for and regulate protein adsorption. The surface of the medical implant has a layer of nanostl1lctures rigidly attached with varying porosity and orientation that allow for surface protein adsorption to be controlled.