Disclosed is directed to a method for restoring bone in an animal comprising: accessing a site to be restored; loading a syringe body with a flowable bone graft material; mating the syringe body with a delivery tube; positioning the delivery tube at the site to be restored; using a syringe piston to advance the said material into the delivery tube; using the syringe piston or a plunger that mates with the delivery tube after removal of the syringe body to deliver the bone graft to the site at a force of less than 50 lbs. extrusion force; wherein said material is at least 75% porous with a mineral to polymer ratio of 80:20.

The present disclosure relates, in some aspects, to orthopaedic implants for securing soft tissue to bone and methods for using the same. One particular implant comprises a first exposed porous surface region, having pores for promoting bone ingrowth, and a second exposed porous surface, having pores for promoting soft tissue ingrowth. At least some of the pores of the first exposed porous surface region may be seeded with osteocytic factors and at least some of the pores of the second exposed porous surface region may be seeded with fibrocytic factors. Such orthopaedic implants can advantageously facilitate regeneration of the soft tissue to bone interface.

The present disclosure relates, in some aspects, to orthopaedic implants for securing soft tissue to bone and methods for using the same. One particular implant comprises a first exposed porous surface region, having pores for promoting bone ingrowth, and a second exposed porous surface, having pores for promoting soft tissue ingrowth. At least some of the pores of the first exposed porous surface region may be seeded with osteocytic factors and at least some of the pores of the second exposed porous surface region may be seeded with fibrocytic factors. Such orthopaedic implants can advantageously facilitate regeneration of the soft tissue to bone interface.

Shapeable porous metal implants and methods for use in various procedures are disclosed. The implants can comprise a shell according to some examples. According to one example, the method can include providing a sheet of highly porous metal material having a porosity of between 55% and 90%, and wrapping the sheet of highly porous metal material around at least a first bone of the patient. Further examples can form the sheet intra-operatively to a desired shape. In an example, the porous metal sheet can be formed of tantalum or tantalum alloys.

Shapeable porous metal implants and methods for use in various procedures are disclosed. The implants can comprise a shell according to some examples. According to one example, the method can include providing a sheet of highly porous metal material having a porosity of between 55% and 90%, and wrapping the sheet of highly porous metal material around at least a first bone of the patient. Further examples can form the sheet intra-operatively to a desired shape. In an example, the porous metal sheet can be formed of tantalum or tantalum alloys.

Methods of treating spinal cord injuries are disclosed. The method comprises implanting scaffolds comprising a protruding scaffold and a supporting scaffold, wherein at least a portion of the protruding scaffold is inserted into a lesioned area of the spinal cord so as to contact the injury or diseased site, wherein the supporting scaffold does not protrude into the injury or diseased site and is in contact with the rostral and/or caudal dura of the spinal cord.

A method of treating a spinal cord injury in a subject in need thereof is disclosed. The method comprises implanting a scaffold into the spinal cord of a subject, wherein the scaffold is seeded with oral mucosa stem cells (OMSC) and/or cells that have been ex vivo differentiated from said OMSCs, thereby treating the spinal cord injury.

A method of treating a spinal cord injury in a subject in need thereof is disclosed. The method comprises implanting a scaffold into the spinal cord of a subject, wherein the scaffold is seeded with oral mucosa stem cells (OMSC) and/or cells that have been ex vivo differentiated from said OMSCs, thereby treating the spinal cord injury.

Provided herein are biocompatible scaffolds engineered to convey growth stimulatory light to cells and augment their growth on the scaffolds both in vitro and in vivo. Also provide are methods of modifying biocompatible transparent waveguides to control delivery of light from the waveguide material.

Described herein are hydrogels attached to a base with the strength and fatigue comparable to that of cartilage on bone and methods of forming them. The methods and apparatuses described herein may achieve an attachment strength between a hydrogel and a substrate equivalent to the osteochondral junction. In some examples the hydrogel may be a triple-network hydrogel (such as BC-PVA-PAMPS) that is attached to a porous substrate (e.g., a titanium base) with the shear strength and fatigue strength equivalent to that of the osteochondral junction.