Patient-modified implant and associated method

1. An orthopedic implant manufacturing method comprising:

preparing a three-dimensional digital image of a patient's joint using computer modeling;

creating a digital image of a non patient-specific femoral implant selected to closely match a size of the patient's joint, the implant having an inner bone engaging surface including a plurality of planar surfaces for engagement with corresponding standard size non-patient specific bone cuts;

overlaying the digital image of the implant on the image of the patient's joint;

modifying a shape of an anterior flange of the digital image of the femoral implant to be patient-matched and closely match a corresponding feature of the three-dimensional image of the patient's joint without modifying the planar surfaces of the inner bone engaging surface; and

manufacturing a patient-matched implant from the digital image of the femoral implant as modified.

2. An orthopedic implant manufacturing method comprising:

preparing a three-dimensional digital image of a patient's joint using computer modeling;

creating a digital image of a non patient-specific femoral implant selected to closely match a size of the patient's joint, the implant having an inner bone engaging surface including a plurality of planar surfaces for engagement with corresponding standard size non-patient specific bone cuts;

overlaying the digital image of the implant on the image of the patient's joint;

modifying an orientation of a patella track of the digital image of the femoral implant to be patient-matched and closely match a corresponding feature of the three-dimensional image of the patient's joint without modifying the planar surfaces of the inner bone engaging surface; and

manufacturing a patient-matched femoral implant from the digital image of the femoral implant as modified.

3. An orthopedic implant manufacturing method comprising:

preparing a three-dimensional digital image of a patient's joint using computer modeling;

creating a digital image of a non patient-specific femoral implant selected to closely match a size of the patient's joint, the femoral implant having an inner bone engaging surface including a plurality of planar surfaces for engagement with corresponding standard size non-patient specific bone cuts;

overlaying the digital image of the implant on the image of the patient's joint;

modifying a depth of a patella track of the digital image of the femoral implant to be patient-matched and closely match a corresponding feature of the three-dimensional image of the patient's joint without modifying the planar surfaces of the inner bone engaging surface; and

manufacturing a patient-matched femoral implant from the digital image of the femoral implant as modified.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising manufacturing a patient-specific alignment guide for the joint based on the three-dimensional image of the patient's joint.