Orthopaedic implants

Abstract

A method for making an orthopaedic implant, the method comprising: characterizing at least a portion of a bone corresponding to the bone to be replaced, said corresponding bone being on the contralateral side of the patient; providing a model of the orthopaedic implant based on a mirror image of the contralateral bone; and forming the orthopaedic implant based on the model.

1 - 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . An implant for replacing a bone in a wrist, hand, ankle or foot of a patient, said implant having a body which is sized and shaped to anatomically replicate the bone being replaced and which is based on a mirror image of a corresponding bone on a contralateral side of the patient. 
     
     
         66 . An implant according to  claim 65 , wherein the implant body includes at least one attachment element for attaching the implant to soft or hard tissue at a site of implantation in use, the attachment element being an opening formed through the implant body for receiving a fixing element. 
     
     
         67 . An implant according to  claim 65 , wherein the implant has an articulating surface which has a topography corresponding to that of a surface against which the implant will articulate or to a surface of a corresponding bone on a contralateral side of the patient. 
     
     
         68 . An implant according to  claim 65 , wherein the bone being replaced is a scaphoid or a lunate bone of a wrist, the implant being surgically insertable at an implantation site adjacent a radius bone, the implant body having an articulating surface for articulation against at least a portion of an articulating surface of the radius bone. 
     
     
         69 . An implant according to  claim 65 , further comprising a component for replacing at least a portion of a surface of a bone articulating against the implant in use, the component comprising a component body and a component surface, the component surface corresponding substantially in topography to the portion of the surface of the articulating bone which the component is replacing, to a corresponding contralateral bone, or to an articulating surface of the implant. 
     
     
         70 . An implant according to  claim 69 , wherein the component body includes at least one component attachment element for attaching the component to the articulating bone, wherein the at least one component attachment element includes at least one opening formed through the component body for receiving a fixing element. 
     
     
         71 . An implant according to  claim 69 , wherein the component is sized and shaped to replace at least a portion of a radius bone of a wrist of the patient. 
     
     
         72 . A method for making an implant for replacing a bone in a wrist, hand, ankle or foot of a patient, the method comprising:
 characterizing at least a portion of a bone corresponding to the bone to be replaced, said corresponding bone being on the contralateral side of the patient;   providing a three-dimensional digital model of the implant based on a mirror image of the contralateral bone; and   forming the implant based on the three-dimensional digital model.   
     
     
         73 . A method according to  claim 72 , wherein the characterizing of the contralateral bone comprises imaging the portion of the contralateral bone corresponding to the bone to be replaced using Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Computed Tomography. 
     
     
         74 . A method according to  claim 72 , further comprising characterizing a surface topography of an articulating bone intended to articulate with a surface of the bone to be replaced, and applying the characterized surface topography to the three-dimensional digital model or to the implant. 
     
     
         75 . A method according to  claim 72 , further comprising adding an attachment element to the three-dimensional digital model or to the implant, the attachment element being at least one opening in the implant for receiving a fixing element to attach the implant to surrounding soft or hard tissue in use. 
     
     
         76 . A method according to  claim 72 , wherein the implant is for replacing at least a portion of a scaphoid, a lunate or a radius bone in the patient. 
     
     
         77 . A method according to  claim 72 , wherein the implant is formed from the three-dimensional digital model by stereolithography. 
     
     
         78 . A device for preparing a bone in a wrist hand, ankle or foot of a patient prior to resurfacing the bone; the device comprising a first face arranged to abut a distal end of the bone, and a second face arranged to abut a side of the distal end of the bone, the first face comprising a first slot extending to the second face to define a first cutting edge, and the second face comprising a second slot extending across the second face to intersect the first slot to define a second cutting edge. 
     
     
         79 . A device according to  claim 78 , wherein the bone being resurfaced is a radius bone of a wrist. 
     
     
         80 . A device according to  claim 78 , further comprising at least one opening formed through the first or the second faces for securing the device to the bone. 
     
     
         81 . A device according to  claim 78 , further comprising at least one securing element for being received in the at least one opening to secure the device to the bone. 
     
     
         82 . A device according to  claim 78 , wherein the first face is at substantially 90° to the second face. 
     
     
         83 . A device according to  claim 78 , wherein the first and second faces abut different faces of the distal end of the bone.