The invention relates to a sternum replacement implant.

An orthopedic implant in the form of a femoral component of a knee endoprosthesis has sliding tribological surfaces formed by inserts of a ceramic material based on zirconium dioxide or aluminum oxide, which are inserted and transition flushly into a metallic base body. The inserts are connected to the base body by a silicate ceramic solder, which is solidified or hardened in a ceramic firing, and by a silicate glass solder. Discharge channels in the metallic base body help to produce a homogeneous glass solder layer and to avoid an excessively intense heat treatment of the solder connection, which could lead to fractures in the titanium oxide layer of the base body. Because a coating of a softer glass solder may be additionally provided on the sliding tribological surfaces of the inserts, the abrasive wear is further reduced and the service life is further increased.

An aluminoborate glass composition, including B.sub.2O.sub.3, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, P.sub.2O.sub.5, Na.sub.2O, and CaO, as defined herein. Also disclosed are bioactive compositions including the disclosed aluminoborate glass composition, a suitable fluid, and at least one live cell. Also disclosed is method of limiting the amount of boron released into an aqueous solution from a disclosed aluminoborate-containing glass composition as defined herein. Also disclosed is a method of proliferating cells on a bioactive substrate as defined herein.

The invention relates to a method of forming a tissue scaffold material for controlled release of an agent in situ, or tissue regeneration, and a system of controlling scaffold and scaffold setting properties using various constituents, such as ceramics and/or plasticisers, and carriers. The invention further relates to scaffold material, scaffolds, and kits, and the use of such scaffold material and scaffolds in methods of treatment.

Disclosed is a ceramic sliding partner for a sliding bearing, said sliding partner being made at least in part, preferably entirely, of a ceramic foam. The ceramic sliding partner comprises at least one sliding surface on which a sliding partner can move, said sliding surface being made at least in part, preferably entirely, of a ceramic foam.

An intervertebral fusion device includes a structural ceramic body. The structural ceramic body has a bottom surface, a top surface, a peripheral surface connected between the bottom surface and the top surface, and at least one pore channel penetrating the bottom surface and the top surface. The inner surface of the pore channel is either a convex curved surface or a funnel-shaped surface. For the pore channel having the convex curved surface, the pore diameter of the pore channel gradually expands from the center of the pore channel to the top surface and the bottom surface. The pore diameter can also gradually expand from the bottom surface to the top surface. The peripheral surface of the structural ceramic body is wavy or zigzag.

An intervertebral fusion device includes a structural ceramic body. The structural ceramic body has a bottom surface, a top surface, a peripheral surface connected between the bottom surface and the top surface, and at least one pore channel penetrating the bottom surface and the top surface. The inner surface of the pore channel is either a convex curved surface or a funnel-shaped surface. For the pore channel having the convex curved surface, the pore diameter of the pore channel gradually expands from the center of the pore channel to the top surface and the bottom surface. The pore diameter can also gradually expand from the bottom surface to the top surface. The peripheral surface of the structural ceramic body is wavy or zigzag.

A method of treating a bacterial infection including bacteria that have become resistant to an antibiotic in a subject in need thereof is provided. The method includes administering to the subject a safe and therapeutically effective amount of the antibiotic and a reviving agent selected from the group consisting of glass-ceramic particles, silver ions, and combinations thereof. The reviving agent restores antibiotic activity to the antibiotic against the bacteria.

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with multi-phase ceramic composites are described herein. Specifically, a multi-phase ceramic composite having a microstructure having at least one solid-state lubricant phase and at least one wear resistant material phase.

The present invention relates to a device for guided bone regeneration, intended for the reconstruction of a buccal bone defect, composed of zirconium dioxide and having a shape which covers said buccal bone defect. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a device of the invention, comprising a step of constructing the device of the invention according to a three-dimensional representation obtained by means of a technique of maxillo-dental imaging of the bone defect.