Patent ID: 6339913
Filing Date: 2002-01-22
Classification: A61F,A61L,C23C

Abstract:
A method for improving the osteointegration of an osseous fixing implant comprising:a) cleaning and passivating the implant through acid attack in an ultrasound bath; b) introducing the implant and a coating material of CaUPVHXOYCZ, where subscripts u, v, x, y, and z are natural numbers including zero with variable stoichiometry, into a first vacuum chamber; c) introducing into the first vacuum chamber an atmosphere used in a deposition process, said atmosphere comprising argon, water vapor, oxygen, or mixtures thereof; d) irradiating the coating material with ultraviolet photons (&lgr;=193 nm) provided by an ArF excimer laser by introducing into the first vacuum chamber a laser beam through a window in said first chamber, wherein the window is transparent to said beam resulting in application of the coating material onto the implant surface; e) conveying the implant by means of a vacuum control system to a second vacuum chamber which contains a container; f) exposing the container and the implant in the second vacuum chamber to ultraviolet radiation to sterilize the container as well as the implant; g) introducing the implant into the sterilized container; and h) sealing the container with the implant inside to obtain a sterilized vacuum assembly.