Patient-specific tools and implants

1. A method for preparing a femoral neck for receiving a neck implant comprising:

obtaining image data of a proximal femoral bone and femoral neck of a specific patient by a medical imaging method;

constructing a three-dimensional image model of the proximal femoral bone and neck of the specific patient using the image data;

identifying a three-dimensional cortical boundary surface at an interface between cortical and cancellous bone of the specific patient using the three-dimensional image model;

designing a patient-specific broach having a three-dimensional cutting surface matching as a negative mold the cortical boundary surface of the specific patient using the three-dimensional image model and configured for removing the cancellous bone without removing the cortical bone;

manufacturing the patient-specific broach;

designing a patient-specific neck implant having a body with a three-dimensional outer surface matching as a negative mold of the cortical boundary surface of the patient using the three-dimensional image model;

manufacturing the patient-specific neck implant; and

sizing the neck implant to extend only into the femoral neck of the specific patient and have a patient-specific length determined from the three-dimensional image model of the specific patient.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data includes data obtained from any of MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound imaging methods.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neck implant includes a planar flange coupled to the body, the flange configured for engaging a resected surface of the femoral neck of the patient.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the neck implant includes a neck portion extending from the body for coupling to a femoral head component at a patient-specific articulation axis having an orientation determined from the three-dimensional image model of the specific patient.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining image data of a proximal femoral bone and femoral neck of a specific patient includes obtaining the image data using at least one of MRI and ultrasound imaging methods.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional cutting surface of the patient-specific broach includes cutting teeth and channels for moving bone chips away from a cavity created by the patient-specific broach.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising designing the patient-specific broach to include a coupling component for coupling the patient-specific broach to a non-custom driver tool.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the coupling component includes a first rod extending from a proximal end surface of the patient-specific broach to be received in a first bore defined through a distal end surface of the non-custom driver tool.

9. A method for preparing a femoral neck for receiving a neck implant comprising:

obtaining image data of a proximal femoral bone and femoral neck of a specific patient by a medical imaging method;

constructing a three-dimensional image model of the proximal femoral bone and neck of the specific patient using the image data;

identifying a three-dimensional cortical boundary surface at an interface between cortical and cancellous bone of the specific patient using the three-dimensional image model;

designing a patient-specific broach having a three-dimensional cutting surface matching as a negative mold the cortical boundary surface of the specific patient using the three-dimensional image model and configured for removing the cancellous bone without removing the cortical bone;

manufacturing the patient-specific broach; and

designing the patient-specific broach to include a coupling component for coupling the patient-specific broach to a non-custom driver tool wherein the coupling component includes a second bore defined through a proximal end surface of the patient-specific broach for receiving a second rod extending from a distal end surface of the non-custom driver tool.

10. A method for preparing a femoral neck for receiving a neck implant comprising:

obtaining image data of a proximal femoral bone and femoral neck of a specific patient by a medical imaging method;

constructing a three-dimensional image model of the proximal femoral bone and neck of the specific patient using the image data;

identifying a three-dimensional cortical boundary surface at an interface between cortical and cancellous bone of the specific patient using the three-dimensional image model;

designing a patient-specific broach having a three-dimensional cutting surface matching as a negative mold the cortical boundary surface of the specific patient using the three-dimensional image model and configured for removing the cancellous bone without removing the cortical bone, the patient-specific broach including a coupling component for coupling the patient-specific broach to a non-custom driver tool, the coupling component including a first rod extending from a proximal end surface of the patient-specific broach to be received in a first bore defined through a distal end surface of the non-custom driver tool, the coupling component including a second bore defined through the proximal end surface of the patient-specific broach for receiving a second rod extending from the distal end surface of the non-custom driver tool; and

manufacturing the patient-specific broach.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein obtaining image data of a proximal femoral bone and femoral neck of a specific patient includes obtaining the image data using at least one of MRI and ultrasound imaging methods.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the three-dimensional cutting surface of the patient-specific broach includes cutting teeth and channels for moving bone chips away from a cavity created by the patient-specific broach.