Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A polymeric orthopedic implant for use in tissue where the implant comprises a polymer having a plurality of metallic nanoshells dispersed within the polymer, wherein the nanoshells are covered with a metal selected from the group consisting of: palladium, silver, platinum, and gold, and wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature of between 38° and 60° C. and a first material property when implanted in tissue at normal body temperature, the material property being variable at an elevated temperature above the glass transition temperature when the implant is exposed to electromagnetic radiation in the range of about 800 nm to 1200 nm, the radiation being converted into heat energy via the plurality of nanoshells thus uniformly raising the temperature of the polymer above the glass transition temperature, and thereby changing the material property relative to the first material property where the material property is at least one of:(i) the ability of the implant to be plastically deformed such that the implant is not plastically deformable at normal body temperatures but is plastically deformable at an elevated temperature above normal body temperature or(ii) the viscosity of the implant where the implant has a lower viscosity at an elevated temperature above normal body temperature or(iii) the biodegradation rate of the implant where the polymer of the implant is biodegradable. 2. The implant of claim 1 wherein the nanoshells are covered with gold. 3. The implant of claim 1 wherein the polymer further comprises a microsphere carrier containing a reagent which is released upon exposure to radiation. 4. The implant of claim 3 wherein the reagent reacts with the implant to degrade it. 5. The implant of claim 3 wherein the reagent is an enzyme. 6. The implant of claim 1 wherein the polymer is a standard engineering plastic. 7. The implant of claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyhydroxyalkanoates and polyalphahydroxy acids. 8. The implant of claim 1 wherein the polymer is biodegradable. 9. The implant of claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polymers of 3-hydroxypropionate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyvalerate, 3-hydroxycaproate, 3-hydroxyheptanoate, 3-hydroxyoctanoate, 3-hydroxynonanoate, 3-hydroxydecanoate, 3-hydroxyundecanoate, 3-hydroxydodecanoate, 4-hydroxybutyrate and 5-hydroxyvalerate. 10. The implant of claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of monomers of polylactide, polyglycolide, poly(lactide-co-glycolide), poly(ε-caprolactone) and polydioxanone. 11. A polymeric orthopedic implant for use in tissue where the implant comprises a polymer having a plurality of metallic nanoshells dispersed within the polymer, wherein the nanoshells are covered with a metal selected from the group consisting of: palladium, silver, platinum, and gold, and wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature of between 40° and 60° C. and a first material property when implanted in tissue at normal body temperature, the material property being variable at an elevated temperature above the glass transition temperature when the implant is exposed to electromagnetic radiation in the range of about 800 nm to 1200 nm, the radiation being converted into heat energy via the plurality of nanoshells thus uniformly raising the temperature of the polymer above the glass transition temperature, and thereby changing the material property relative to the first material property where the material property is at least one of:(i) the ability of the implant to be plastically deformed such that the implant is not plastically deformable at normal body temperatures but is plastically deformable at an elevated temperature above normal body temperature or(ii) the viscosity of the implant where the implant has a lower viscosity at an elevated temperature above normal body temperature or(iii) the biodegradation rate of the implant where the polymer of the implant is biodegradable.