Prosthetic device with predetermined crystal orientation

摘要

Prosthetic device such as bone plates, stem-type prostheses such as femoral or humeral prostheses, or intramedullary rods are substantially improved by utilizing casting techniques that provide columnar or monocrystalline grain structure, with the <001> crystal direction oriented substantially parallel to the neutral axis, thereby increasing flexibility of the prosthesis and increasing loading on the bone, whereby disuse-atrophy is reduced and bone healing is facilitated; similarly, the crystal direction may be oriented to increase the stiffness of the prosthesis to resist tension.