Methods for improving the antibacterial and/or bone-forming characteristics of biomedical implants and related implants manufactured according to such methods. In some implementations, a biomedical implant may comprise a composite of a silicon nitride ceramic powder dispersed within a poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) or a poly-ether-ketone-ketone (PEKK) substrate material. In some implementations, the biomedical implant may be 3D printed.

A biocompatible composite material for controlled release is disclosed, comprising a biocompatible metal oxide structure with a loaded network of pores. The pore network of the biocompatible composite material is filled with a uniformly distributed biologically active micellizing amphiphilic molecule, the size of these pores ranging from about 0.5 to about 100 nanometers. The material is characterized in that when exposed to phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), the controlled release of the active amphiphilic molecule is predominantly diffusion-driven over time.

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.

An antimicrobial medical device that includes a substrate having a metal surface that is made from a metal or metal alloy that may include stainless steel, cobalt, and titanium. Disposed on the metal surface is a first antimicrobial oxide layer that includes an antimicrobial metal that may include silver, copper, and zinc, and combinations thereof. The atoms of antimicrobial metal in the first antimicrobial oxide layer are of a first concentration. The first antimicrobial oxide layer is positioned in a direction opposite that of the metal surface. The device further includes a second antimicrobial oxide layer that includes an antimicrobial metal that may be silver, copper, and zinc, and combinations thereof. The atoms of the antimicrobial metal present in the second antimicrobial oxide layer are of a second concentration. The first concentration and the second concentration are not equal. Methods for making the antimicrobial medical device are also disclosed.

In a method for coating on a surface of a medical PEEK material with titanium to have a microporous structure, titanium is coated on a surface of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) via magnetron sputtering. The surface of the titanium coated on the surface of PEEK is polished via an electromagnetic polishing apparatus. A thin-film with titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) having a microporous structure is formed on the polished surface of the titanium via an anodic oxidation treatment.

A medical implant is disclosed. The medical implant includes: a first biocompatible metal forming a substrate (210, 310, 410), a second biocompatible metal diffused into the first biocompatible metal to form an biocompatible alloy surface (220, 314, 414), the alloy surface further including a diffusion hardening species, wherein the diffusion hardening species may be carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, or any combination thereof. A method of forming a medical implant is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a first biocompatible metal or alloy that forms a substrate (210, 310, 410), providing a second biocompatible metal or alloy, diffusing the second biocompatible metal into the first biocompatible metal to form an alloy layer (220, 314, 414), removing excess second metal material from the substrate to expose the alloy layer, and diffusion hardening the alloy layer.

A long-acting super-hydrophobic anticoagulant biological valve and a preparation method therefor. The preparation method includes the following steps: (1) treating a biological valve material with glutaraldehyde; (2) placing the biological valve material treated in step (1) into an acid liquid containing a polyphenol compound and metal ions, and adding an oxidant for reaction; and (3) reacting the biological valve material treated in step (2) with a hydrophobic substance. According to the method, a super-hydrophobic coating having a long-acting high water contact angle and a low rolling angle is prepared on the surface of the biological valve by means of a simple and stable operation process without affecting the performance of the valve body, and the requirements of long-acting anticoagulation are met by resisting the adsorption of plasma proteins.

An implant component which comprises a solid material region and a surface structure connected to the solid material region is disclosed. A coating is provided on the surface structure, said coating comprising, in addition to an At % proportion of Ti as a main component, at least one further coating component, wherein one of the at least one further coating components is silver having an At % proportion of 15-25 At %. The surface structure here comprises undercuts which are coated with said coating.

Provided are a medical material for promoting cell growth and inhibiting bacterial adhesion and a machining method thereof. The machining method comprises: modifying a surface component of the medical material; preparing a micro-nano structure formed by superposing multiple levels of sizes; and selecting one of the two steps above, or carrying out component modification on a surface of the medical material first and then forming the micro-nano structure by superposing the multiple levels of sizes. The micro-nano structure formed by superposing the multiple levels of sizes comprises a first-level structure which is a micron-level groove structure, a second-level structure which is a submicron-level stripe structure or an array protrusion structure and a third-level structure which is a nano-level protrusion structure, the second-level structure is distributed on a surface of the first-level structure, and the third-level structure is distributed on a surface of the second-level structure.

A method of joining adjacent bone includes providing a medical device having a first implant portion, a second implant portion attached to the first implant portion, and a driver assembly having an instrument adapted to form an opening in bone. The driver assembly is integrally connected to and removably attached to the second implant portion at a connection, distal from the first implant portion. The driver assembly further has a wire driver extending therefrom, distal from the first implant portion. The method further includes inserting the wire driver into a wire driver tool; placing the first implant portion against a first bone structure; inserting the first implant portion into the first bone structure; removing the second implant portion from the driver assembly; using the driver assembly to form an opening in a second bone structure, adjacent to the first bone structure; and inserting the second implant portion into the opening.