Methods and Compositions for Articular Repair

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for producing articular repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. In particular, methods for providing articular repair systems. Also provided are articular surface repair systems designed to replace a selected area cartilage, for example, and surgical tools for repairing articular surfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of selecting or designing an orthopedic implant for repairing an articular surface of a joint using a computer system, the method comprising:
 obtaining electronic image data of a joint of a patient;   deriving a shape of an articular surface of the joint from the image data;   determining electronically from the derived shape one or more dimensions associated with an articular surface of the bone; and   selecting from a library of implants or designing an articular implant based on the one or more dimensions associated with the articular surface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the articular implant includes at least one or more planar inner surfaces corresponding to cut bone. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the articular implant has an outer surface corresponding to the one or more dimensions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the articular surface derived from the image is located underneath diseased cartilage. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the articular surface derived from the image is located underneath articular cartilage. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising altering the selected implant based on the derived shape. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising altering the selected implant based on the determined dimensions. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising designing an instrument for use in implanting the selected articular implant, wherein at least a portion of the instrument is based on the derived shape. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising designing an instrument for use in implanting the selected articular implant, wherein at least a portion of the instrument is based on the determined dimensions of the joint. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining an axis associated with the joint. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the articular implant is selected or designed based on the determined axis. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising altering the selected implant based on the determined axis. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising designing an instrument for use in implanting the selected or designed articular implant, wherein at least a portion the instrument is based on the determined axis. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected or designed implant is an electronic model of an implant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected implant is selected from a database of articular repair systems. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected implant is a physical implant. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 deriving a shape of articular tissue associated with the articular surface, wherein selecting or designing the articular implant is further based on the derived shape of the articular tissue.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the articular implant is adapted for implantation at an implantation site located in one of a femoral condyle, a tibial plateau, a femoral head, an acetabulum, a shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, ankle and foot joint. 
     
     
         19 . A method of selecting or designing an articular implant for repairing an articular surface of a joint using a computer system, the method comprising:
 obtaining electronic image data of a joint of a patient;   deriving a shape of a surface of cartilage of the joint from the image data;   determining electronically from the derived shape one or more dimensions associated with an articular surface of the joint; and
 selecting from a library of implants or designing an articular implant based on the one or more dimensions associated with the articular surface. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method of selecting or designing an orthopedic implant for repairing an articular surface of a joint using a computer system, the method comprising:
 obtaining electronic image data of a joint of a patient;   deriving a shape of bone of the joint from the image data;   determining electronically from the derived shape one or more dimensions associated with an articular surface of the bone; and   selecting from a library of implants or designing an articular implant based on the one or more dimensions associated with the articular surface.