Dual modulus hip stem and method of making the same

1. An orthopaedic prosthesis, comprising:

a metallic foam shell including a sheath,

a metallic core including (i) a neck positioned proximal of the sheath, the neck being configured to receive a femoral head component, (ii) a first core segment positioned in the sheath, and (iii) a second core segment positioned distal of the sheath,

wherein (i) the second core segment includes a convexly curved lateral surface that extends from an outer anterior surface to an outer posterior surface of the second core segment, and (ii) the metallic foam shell further includes a cover layer extending distally from the sheath, the cover layer engaging only the curved lateral surface of the second core segment,

wherein the cover layer of the metallic foam shell has a body that extends distally from a proximal end attached to the sheath, the body having a first body thickness at the proximal end that is greater than three millimeters.

2. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein:

the first core segment of the metallic core has a medial surface and a lateral surface positioned opposite the medial surface,

the sheath has a medial surface and a lateral surface positioned opposite the medial surface, and

when the orthopaedic prosthesis is viewed in a transverse plane, a first thickness is defined between a medial-most point of the medial surface of the sheath and a medial-most point of the medial surface of the first core segment, (ii) a second thickness is defined between a lateral-most point of the lateral surface of the sheath and a lateral-most point of the lateral surface of the first core segment, and (iii) the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

3. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 2 , wherein:

the transverse plane is a first transverse plane extending through the orthopaedic prosthesis between a proximal end of the sheath and a distal end of the sheath, and

when the orthopaedic prosthesis is viewed in a second transverse plane extending through the orthopaedic prosthesis at the distal end of the sheath, a third thickness is defined between a medial-most point of the medial surface of the sheath and a medial-most point of the medial surface of the first core segment, the third thickness is less than the first thickness.

4. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 3 , wherein the third thickness is less than 1.5 millimeters.

5. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 3 , wherein when the orthopaedic prosthesis is viewed in the second transverse plane, a fourth thickness is defined between a lateral-most point of the lateral surface of the sheath and a lateral-most point of the lateral surface of the first core segment, the fourth thickness being greater than five millimeters.

6. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 3 , wherein when the orthopaedic prosthesis is viewed in the second transverse plane, the medial surface of the first core segment is convex and the lateral surface of the first core segment is convex.

7. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 6 , wherein when the orthopaedic prosthesis is viewed in the second transverse plane, the medial surface of the first core segment is defined by a first radius, and the lateral surface of the first core segment is defined by a second radius that is greater than the first radius.

8. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the body of the cover layer extends from the proximal end attached to the sheath to a distal end, the body having a second body thickness at the distal end, the second body thickness being less than the first body thickness.

9. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the sheath of the metallic foam shell has a porous outer surface.

10. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer of the metallic foam shell has a non-porous outer surface.

11. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the metallic foam shell has a first elastic modulus and the metallic core has a second elastic modulus, the first elastic modulus being approximately one-twentieth of the second elastic modulus.

12. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the metallic foam shell has a first elastic modulus and the metallic core has a second elastic modulus, the first elastic modulus being approximately one-tenth of the second elastic modulus.

13. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 1 , wherein the metallic foam shell is shaped to engage a surgically-prepared proximal end of a patient's femur.

14. An orthopaedic prosthesis for a patient, comprising:

a metallic foam shell having a first elastic modulus, the metallic foam shell having (i) an outer surface that engages a patient's bony anatomy, (ii) an upper body, and (ii) a lower body extending distally from a proximal end attached to the upper body, and

a metallic core including a neck positioned proximal of the shell and a core body that extends through the upper body of the shell, the core having a second elastic modulus greater than the first elastic modulus,

wherein when the orthopaedic prosthesis is viewed in a transverse plane extending through the shell and the core, (i) a first thickness is defined between a medial-most point of the outer surface of the shell and a medial-most point of a medial surface of the core, and (ii) a second thickness is defined between a lateral-most point of the outer surface of the shell and a lateral-most point of a lateral surface of the core, the first thickness being less than the second thickness,

wherein (i) the core body of the metallic core includes a core segment positioned distal of the upper body of the metallic foam shell, (ii) the core segment includes a curved lateral surface, and (iii) the lower body of the metallic foam shell is attached to only the curved lateral surface of the second core segment, the lower body having a thickness of at least three millimeters at the proximal end of the lower body.

15. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 14 , wherein the metallic core is formed from a cobalt-chromium alloy.

16. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 14 , wherein the metallic foam shell is formed from titanium.

17. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 14 , wherein the metallic foam shell is formed from a cobalt-chromium alloy.

18. The orthopaedic prosthesis of claim 14 , wherein the metallic foam shell is formed from titanium alloy.