Patent ID: 6849223
Filing Date: 2005-02-01
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61L,B29C,B29K,B33Y,G05B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A process for fabricating a customized three-dimensional prosthetic implant, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a solution comprising chains of a primary photocurable, bioerodable polymer, a primary photoinitiator for promoting photocrosslinking of the chains of the primary polymer, and a solvent, wherein the primary polymer is poly(propylene fumarate)(PPF); (b) providing a stereolithography instrument comprising a primary UV laser for activating the primary photoinitiator and photocrosslinking the PPF chains; (c) providing a three dimensional CAD image of a desired three-dimensional prosthetic implant, wherein the three-dimensional CAD image is readable by the stereolithography instrument; (d) depositing the solution in successive layers on a build platen in the stereolithography instrument; and (e) photocrosslinking at least a portion of the PPF chains in each of the successive layers according to corresponding cross-sectional patterns derived from the three dimensional CAD image to provide a three dimensional construct whose size and external and internal shapes correspond to the three dimensional CAD image.