Patent ID: 9034361
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: A61L,A61P,C08G

Abstract:
1. An artificial cartilage for use in articulating joints of mammals comprising: a biostable aliphatic polyurethane comprising an alternating block copolymer wherein the biostable aliphatic polyurethane further comprises prepolymer segments and interlinking segments wherein the prepolymer segments further comprise terminal urethane groups that are interlinked via aliphatic urea groups; the biostable aliphatic polyurethane further comprising polyoxyalkylene chains covalently interlinked with polyalkylene urethane segments; wherein the artificial cartilage is flexible, hydroswellable and has a reversible elongation of greater than 10 percent; wherein the polyoxyalkylene chains comprise at least one oxyalkylene sequence selected from the group consisting of oxyethylene, oxypropylene, oxytrimethylene, or oxytetramethylene repeat units; wherein the artificial cartilage is interlinked using an alkylene diisocyanate selected from the group consisting of hexamethylene diisocyanate, octamethylene diisocyanate, decamethylene diisocyanate, dodecamethylene diisocyanate, 1,4 cyclohexane diisocyanate, lysine-derived diisocyanate, or cyclohexane bis(methylene isocyanate); wherein the artificial cartilage further comprises at least one covalently bonded group to reduce radiation and oxidation degradation; wherein the artificial cartilage exhibits ultimate elongation of greater than 200 percent and reversible elongation of greater than 10 percent; wherein the biostable aliphatic polyurethane comprises a prepolymer and a chain extender and the biostable aliphatic polyurethane has a molar ratio of prepolymer to chain extender of substantially 1:1; and wherein the artificial cartilage exhibits an at least 5 percent increase in volume when immersed in water for less than two hours.