Method and apparatus for use of porous implants

1. A method for attaching a metal insert to a substrate, the method comprising:

providing a substrate that comprises an implantable orthopedic component of nonporous metal;

forming a three-dimensional cavity defined by inner walls of the substrate, the cavity having a first dimension along a first axis, the cavity defining an opening to an outer surface of the substrate, the opening at least partially bounded by a ledge and having a second dimension along the first axis, the first dimension greater than the second dimension wherein the inner walls include side walls and a closed end wall, the closed end wall having a surface that faces the opening;

forming a porous metal insert having a three-dimensional shape mateable with the cavity and a third dimension along the first axis greater than the second dimension, the porous metal insert having a porous metal outer surface configured to encourage ingrowth of soft tissue;

cooling the insert below ambient temperature until the third dimension is equal or smaller than the second dimension;

inserting the insert through the opening; and

retaining the insert in the cavity by the ledge upon return to ambient temperature wherein the porous metal outer surface of the porous metal insert engages at least the closed end wall of the inner walls of the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cavity and the insert are cylindrical.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cavity and the insert are prismatic.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the cavity further comprises machining the cavity into the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the cavity further comprises casting the cavity into the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ledge circumscribes the entire opening.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cavity is a blind bore.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the porous metal insert is formed entirely of porous material.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the porous metal insert is uniformly porous.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein an entirety of the porous metal insert is retained within the cavity.

11. A method for attaching a porous metal insert to a metal substrate, the method comprising:

providing a metal substrate that is a solid metal portion of an orthopedic implant;

cooling a three-dimensional porous metal insert below ambient temperature, the porous metal insert having a porous metal outer surface configured to encourage ingrowth of soft tissue;

reducing at least a first dimension of the insert;

inserting the cooled metal insert through an opening into a three-dimensional cavity defined by inner walls of the metal substrate, the opening having a second dimension parallel to the first dimension of the insert wherein the inner walls include side walls and a closed end wall, the closed end wall having a surface that faces the opening;

returning the metal insert to ambient temperature;

returning the first dimension to a length greater than the second dimension; and

retaining the metal insert in the cavity of the substrate wherein the porous metal outer surface of the porous metal insert engages at least the closed end wall of the inner walls of the metal substrate.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising machining the cavity into the substrate.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising casting the cavity into the substrate.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein cooling the insert further comprises immersing the insert in liquid nitrogen.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein cooling the insert comprises reducing a linear dimension of the insert by about 4-8%.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising heating the substrate.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the porous metal insert is uniformly porous.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the porous metal insert is formed entirely of porous material.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein an entirety of the porous metal insert is retained within the cavity.

20. A method for attaching a metal insert to a substrate, the method comprising:

providing an orthopedic implant that comprises a substrate formed of nonporous metal;

forming an opening in the substrate, the opening having a first outer dimension along a first axis;

forming a cavity defined by inner walls of the substrate, the cavity having a second outer dimension along the first axis, the second outer dimension being greater than the first outer dimension, wherein a retaining ledge is formed on the substrate at a transition between the opening and the cavity wherein the inner walls include side walls and a closed end wall, the closed end wall having a surface that faces the opening;

forming a porous metal insert made entirely of porous metal material configured to encourage ingrowth of soft tissue and having a three-dimensional shape mateable with the cavity and a third outer dimension along the first axis greater than the first outer dimension;

cooling the insert below ambient temperature until the third outer dimension is equal or smaller than the first outer dimension;

inserting the insert through the opening; and

retaining the insert in the cavity by the retaining ledge upon return to ambient temperature wherein the porous metal insert engages at least the closed end wall of the inner walls of the substrate.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the cavity and the insert are cylindrical.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the cavity and the insert are prismatic.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein forming the cavity further comprises machining the cavity into the substrate.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein forming the opening and the cavity further comprises casting the opening and the cavity into the substrate.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the ledge circumscribes the entire opening.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the cavity is a blind bore.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein providing the substrate comprises providing a femoral hip stem.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein retaining the insert in the cavity comprises positioning a portion of the insert at a location that protrudes outside of the opening and beyond the retaining ledge.

29. The method of claim 20 , further comprising heating the substrate.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein an entirety of the porous metal insert is retained within the cavity.