Patent attributes
Processes for fabricating a customized, three-dimensional, bioerodable, polymeric prosthetic implant are provided. In a highly preferred embodiment, the prosthetic implant has a porous network. The method employs a sterolithography instrument, a solution comprising chains of one or more photocurable, bioerodable polymers and a photoinitiator, and a three-dimensional CAD image. In a highly preferred embodiment, the solution comprises poly (propylene) fumarate (PPF) and a solvent for controlling the viscosity of the solution. During the fabrication process, the solution is placed in a container in the stereolithography instrument. The container also holds a movable build platen for supporting each of the covalently bonded layers of the polymeric prosthetic implant that are formed when successive layers of the solution are exposed to UV light energy. The UV light energy is imparted to selected portions of each layer of the solution to produce a pattern of cross-linked and non-cross-linked polymeric regions corresponding to a cross-sectional image of the three-dimensional CAD image.
