PROPORTIONED SURGICALLY IMPLANTABLE KNEE PROSTHESIS

1 . A knee prosthesis for unicompartmental implantation into a knee joint, the prosthesis being implantable without requiring bone resection comprising:

a body having a substantially elliptical shape in plan and a pair of contoured opposed faces including a convex face and a concave face;

a peripheral edge extending between the faces and having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

a first dimension D defined by the first end and the second end; and

a second dimension F defined by the first side and the second side, where the dimension F is from about 0.25 to about 1.5 of the dimension D.

2 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 1 wherein the concave face includes an anterior to posterior radius A and the first dimension D, where D is from about 0.6 A to about 1.4 A.

3 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 2 wherein the anterior to posterior radius A is equal to the first dimension D.

4 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 2 wherein the second dimension F is 0.64 A.

5 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 2 wherein the concave face includes a medial to lateral radius B of from about 0.25 A to about 1.0 A.

6 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 5 wherein the radius B is 0.68 A.

7 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

a posterior portion; and

a posterior portion dimension E of from about 0.1 A to about 0.75 A.

8 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

a part center location;

a medial edge; and

a width from part center to medial edge dimension G of from about 0.096 A to about 0.48 A.

9 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

a posterior portion;

a posterior portion dimension E of from about 0.1 A to about 0.75 A;

a part center location;

a medial edge; and

a width from part center to medial edge dimension G of from about 0.096 A to about 0.48 A.

10 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 7 wherein the posterior half dimension E=0.5 A.

11 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 8 wherein the width from part center to medial edge dimension G=0.352 A.

12 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 9 wherein the posterior half dimension E=0.5 A and the width from part center to medial edge dimension G=0.352 A.

13 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 2 wherein the concave face includes an anterior sweep radius C to accommodate relative rotation between a femur and a tibia.

14 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 13 wherein C is from about 0.5 A to about 2.0 A.

15 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 14 wherein C=A.

16 . An implantable knee prosthesis for unicompartmental implantation into a knee joint comprising:

a body free of any means of fixation to a portion of knee joint anatomy and having a substantially elliptical shape in plan and a pair of contoured opposed faces including a convex face and a concave face;

a peripheral edge extending between the faces and having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

a first dimension D bounded by the first end and the second end; and

a second dimension F bounded by the first side and the second side, where the dimension F is from about 0.25 to about 1.5 of the dimension D.

17 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 16 wherein the concave face has an anterior to posterior radius A and the first dimension D, where D is from about 0.6 A to about 1.4 A.

18 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 17 wherein the concave face has a medial to lateral radius B of from about 0.25 A to about 1.0 A.

19 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 17 further comprising:

a posterior portion;

a posterior portion dimension E of from about 0.1 A to abut 0.75 A;

a part center location;

a medial edge; and

a width from part center to medial edge dimension G of from about 0.096 A to about 0.48 A.

20 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 17 wherein the concave face has an anterior sweep radius C to accommodate relative rotation between a femur and a tibia.

21 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 20 wherein C is from about 0.5 A to about 2.0 A.

22 . A knee prosthesis for unicompartmental implantation into a knee joint, the prosthesis being implantable without requiring bone resection comprising:

a body free of any means of fixation to a portion of knee joint anatomy and having a substantially elliptical shape in plan and a pair of contoured opposed faces including a convex face and a concave face;

a peripheral edge extending between the faces and having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

a first dimension D extending from the first end to the second end; and

a second dimension F extending from the first side to the second side, where the dimension F is from about 0.25 to about 1.5 of the dimension D.

23 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 22 wherein the concave face has an anterior to posterior radius A and the first dimension D, where D is from about 0.6 A to about 1.4 A.

24 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 23 wherein the concave face has a medial to lateral radius B of from about 0.25 A to about 1.0 A.

25 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 23 further comprising:

a posterior portion;

a posterior portion dimension E of from about 0.1 A to about 0.75 A;

a part center location;

a medial edge; and

a width from part center to medial edge dimension G of from about 0.096 A to about 0.48 A.

26 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 23 wherein the concave face has an anterior sweep radius C to accommodate relative rotation between a femur and a tibia.

27 . The prosthesis as defined in claim 26 wherein C is from about 0.5 A to about 2.0 A.

28 . A method of providing a knee prosthesis for unicompartmental implantation into a knee joint, the prosthesis being implantable without requiring bone resection comprising:

providing a body of a substantially elliptical shape; and

providing oppositely oriented convex and concave surfaces on the body and an edge extending between the surfaces, the surfaces having a dimension D between opposite ends thereof, and a dimension F between opposite sides thereof, the dimension F being in the range of from about 0.25 to about 1.5 of the dimension D.

29 . The method as defined in claim 28 further comprising:

removing at least a portion of a meniscus in the knee joint;

measuring for a length dimension of the prosthesis;

measuring for a thickness dimension of the prosthesis;

inserting a trial component into the knee joint;

verifying sizing for the trial component;

removing the trial component; and

inserting the prosthesis.

30 . A method of providing an implantable knee prosthesis for unicompartmental implantation into a knee joint comprising:

providing a body free of any means of fixation to a portion of knee joint anatomy, the body being of a substantially elliptical shape; and

providing oppositely oriented convex and concave surfaces on the body and an edge extending between the surfaces, the surfaces having a dimension D between opposite ends thereof, and a dimension F between opposite sides thereof, the dimension F being in the range of from about 0.25 to about 1.5 of the dimension D.

31 . The method as defined in claim 30 further comprising:

removing at least a portion of a meniscus in the knee joint;

measuring for a length dimension of the prosthesis;

measuring for a thickness dimension of the prosthesis;

inserting a trial component into the knee joint;

verifying sizing for the trial component;

removing the trial component; and

inserting the prosthesis.

32 . A method of providing a knee prosthesis for unicompartmental implantation into a knee joint, the prosthesis being implantable without requiring bone resection comprising:

providing a body free of any means of fixation to a portion of knee joint anatomy, the body being of a substantially elliptical shape; and

providing oppositely oriented convex and concave surfaces on the body and an edge extending between the surfaces, the surfaces having a dimension D between opposite ends thereof, and a dimension F between opposite side thereof, the dimension F being in the range of from about 0.25 to about 1.5 of the dimension D.

33 . The method as defined in claim 32 further comprising:

removing at least a portion of a meniscus in the knee joint;

measuring for a length dimension of the prosthesis;

measuring for a thickness dimension of the prosthesis;

inserting a trial component into the knee joint;

verifying sizing for the trial component; and

inserting the prosthesis.