ORTHOPAEDIC IMPLANT WITH SPATIALLY VARYING POROSITY

1 . An orthopaedic implant, comprising:

a body member including a first region with a first porosity and a second region with a second porosity, at least one physical characteristic of said first porosity being different than at least one physical characteristic of said second porosity.

2 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein each said at least one physical characteristic includes one of: pore size; pore shape; pore density (% porosity); pore interconnection size/shape; surface roughness; surface treatment; surface coating; material type; ability to deliver therapeutic agents and in what amount; laminate thickness; taper of layer(s); thickness of layer(s); and structural type of porous material.

3 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 2 , wherein said structural type of porous material includes one of a sintered metal, powdered metal, and laminate metal.

4 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein each said at least one physical characteristic includes one of: a macroscopic physical property, a microscopic physical property, a microscale physical property, and a nanoscale physical property.

5 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein said first porosity and said second porosity each include at least one of a mesh, fibers, particles, beads, and a lattice.

6 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 5 , wherein said lattice includes a plurality of layers.

7 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 6 , wherein said lattice is one of a metal lattice and a ceramic lattice.

8 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein said second member is comprised of one of a metal, ceramic and a polymer.

9 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein said second member is comprised of a plurality of stacked layers which are bonded together.

10 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein said second member carries a therapeutic agent.

11 . An orthopaedic implant, comprising a body member including a first porosity and a spatially discrete second porosity, at least one physical characteristic of said first porosity being different than at least one physical characteristic of said second porosity.

12 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein each said at least one physical characteristic includes one of: pore size; pore shape; pore density (% porosity); pore interconnection size/shape; surface roughness; surface treatment; surface coating; material type; ability to deliver therapeutic agents and in what amount; laminate thickness; taper of layer(s); thickness of layer(s); and structural type of porous material.

13 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 12 , wherein said structural type of porous material includes one of a sintered metal, powdered metal, and laminate metal.

14 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 11 , wherein each said at least one physical characteristic includes one of: a macroscopic physical property, a microscopic physical property, a microscale physical property, and a nanoscale physical property.

15 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 11 , wherein said first porosity and said second porosity each include at least one of a mesh, fibers, particles, beads, and a lattice.

16 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 15 , wherein said lattice includes a plurality of layers.

17 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 16 , wherein said lattice is one of a metal lattice and a ceramic lattice.

18 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 11 , wherein said first porosity and said second porosity are comprised of one of a metal, ceramic and a polymer.

19 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 11 , wherein said first porosity and said second porosity are comprised of a plurality of stacked layers which are bonded together.

20 . The orthopaedic implant of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said first porosity and said second porosity carry a therapeutic agent.