SPLINED TAPERED MODULAR DISTAL STEM WITH PROXIMAL POROUS COATING

1 . A modular femoral hip joint prosthesis comprising:

a proximal femoral body having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being adapted to mate with a femoral head; and

a femoral stem having a proximal section and a distal section, the femoral stem being adapted to matingly connect with the distal end of the proximal femoral body, the proximal section having a porous metal coating adapted to facilitate boney ingrowth, the distal section having at least one spline formed along an outer surface.

2 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the proximal section of the femoral stem extends along a first axis and wherein the distal section of the femoral stem extends along a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are non-parallel.

3 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 2 wherein the distal section of the femoral stem tapers toward a distal tip.

4 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 3 wherein the first and second axes extend at an angle substantially between 2 and 10 degrees.

5 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 4 wherein the angle is 5 degrees.

6 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 4 wherein the proximal section of the femoral stem includes a male taper end.

7 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 6 wherein the distal end of the proximal femoral body includes a female taper.

8 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 7 wherein the male taper end of the femoral stem is adapted to be received in the female taper of the proximal femoral body.

9 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 8 , further comprising a fastener that is operable to extend into an opening in the proximal femoral body and threadably mate with a threaded bore formed on the male taper end of the femoral stem.

10 . A modular femoral hip joint prosthesis comprising:

a one-piece femoral stem having a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section adapted to matingly connect with a proximal femoral body and having a porous metal coating that covers substantially all of the proximal section and is adapted to facilitate boney ingrowth, the distal section having a plurality of longitudinally extending splines formed along an outer surface, wherein the distal section tapers toward a distal tip.

11 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 10 , further comprising a proximal femoral body having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being adapted to mate with a femoral head and the distal end being adapted to mate with the proximal section of the femoral stem.

12 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 10 wherein the proximal section of the femoral stem extends along a first axis and wherein the distal section of the femoral stem extends along a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are non-parallel.

13 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 12 wherein the distal section of the femoral stem is at least partially roughened.

14 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the first and second axes extend at an angle substantially between 2 and 10 degrees.

15 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 14 wherein the angle is 5 degrees.

16 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 14 wherein the proximal section of the femoral stem includes a male taper end.

17 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 16 , further comprising a proximal femoral body having a distal end that includes a female taper.

18 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 17 wherein the male taper end of the femoral stem is adapted to be received in the female taper of the proximal femoral body.

19 . The modular femoral hip prosthesis of claim 18 , further comprising a fastener that is operable to extend into an opening in the proximal femoral body and threadably mate with a threaded bore formed on the male taper end of the femoral stem.