Patent attributes
A surgical implant comprises a core region and a porous surface region extending over at least part of the core region. The surface region has a predetermined pore volume fraction. A method of manufacturing a surgical implant comprises: (i) loading metallic powder having a predetermined particle size distribution around a pre-formed core in a sealable capsule; (ii) reducing pressure within the capsule to a predetermined pressure below atmospheric pressure; (iii) pressurising the capsule with a process gas to a predetermined pressure higher than the predetermined pressure of step (ii); (iv) sealing the capsule; (v) heating the pressurised sealed capsule at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure for a predetermined time to produce an implant precursor; (vi) cooling the sealed capsule, and; (vii) heating the implant precursor for a predetermined time at an elevated temperature and a predetermined pressure below atmospheric pressure, whereby to generate porosity in the implant precursor.
