Automated Systems for Manufacturing Patient-Specific Orthopedic Implants and Instrumentation

Abstract

Disclosed herein are devices, systems and methods for the automated design and manufacture of patient-specific/patient-matched orthopedic implants. While the embodiments described herein specifically pertain to unicompartmental resurfacing implants for the knee, the principles described are applicable to other types of knee implants (including, without limitation, other resurfacing implants and joint replacement implants) as well as implants for other joints and other patient-specific orthopedic applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for automated design of a femoral component of a knee implant system, comprising:
 a. sketching, using an automation system, a sulcus line on a condylar surface of a virtual model of a patient's distal femur;   b. creating a profile view and automatically sketching an implant contour using the profile view and completing a center line of the implant contour; and   c. designing the femoral component by projecting the implant contour onto the virtual model, and designing an inner surface and an outer surface of the femoral component, wherein the outer surface is defined by sweep an arc of a constant radius and angle along the center line.